


Hey, Kid. Nice Shot.

by cryptidkickflip



Series: Heart of the Lion and Eyes of Blue Skies [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Kid Fic, niflheim prompto, papa cor, papa!Cor, this is gonna be a long one
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-15
Updated: 2017-11-13
Packaged: 2019-01-17 23:05:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 34,341
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12375999
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cryptidkickflip/pseuds/cryptidkickflip
Summary: Years later, when Prompto's cracking open (as far as Cor lets on that he knows) his first beer on the day of his high school graduation, they wonder: who saved who in Duscae?





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first (official) work in the FFXV fandom. I've been into Final Fantasy since I was a kid, and I'm so pumped to be apart of the fandom like this! 
> 
> Like, comment, share, and find me on tumblr at mothmanismyuncle!!!

            “If you keep making that face, it’s going to stick like that, Leonis.” Cor deepened his scowl. The meetings beyond the door had gone on for hours and showed no sign of stopping anytime soon. Clarus cracked a jaunty grin at Cor’s foul expression. “Honestly, lighten up. You’re too much of a toddler to have wrinkles like that.” Cor’s rolled his eyes.

            “Still going to age better than you, Amicitia. You’re already going grey.” Clarus barked a laugh and crossed his arms.

            “You’d be grey if you were Regis’s Shield, too.” He scoffed, and Cor cracked a smile. They stood in amicable silence until there were signs of life from inside the chamber. Clarus grumbled a quick “Thank the Six,” before standing to attention as the Council and King Regis poured out. Regis motioned them to his office, and they fell into step behind him.

            “As you well know, we’ve been trying to find a way to push Niflheim back for months, and our intelligence is running dry. We’re sending a small team into Duscae, and Cor, I’d like you to lead them.” Cor only kept his expression cool from years of practice.

            “Why’s that, Your Majesty?” He asked, flatly. The King swiped a hand down his face and sat back in his chair. It appeared that he had aged five years in the space of a single question.

            “Please don’t call me that, Cor. I’ve been ‘Majesty’-ed by those bitter assholes on the Council all day.” He asked quietly. “Clarus, will you get the scotch?” There was a beat of silence before the young King’s oldest friend stood to collect three glasses and a crystal decanter. “We’re losing this war, boys. The Council is blaming me, even though I only just took the throne. The people are blaming me for the economy and the people beyond the wall are begging for help that we can’t give.” Clarus handed him a glass, and the slight tremble of the liquid inside went without comment. “I’m not asking you as a king, Cor. I need you as a friend.” Cor took a sip from the proffered glass before he rested his elbows on his knees.

            “What can I do, Regis?”

 

***

            They were camped on the Lucis side of the border. That didn’t mean much to the Niffs if they were spotted, but it provided them with a safe place from the daemons at night and clearing to rest in before they made their way into enemy territory. Cor sat farther away from the fire than he would have liked, but the Kingsglaive seated on the logs were rowdy and he could feel a headache coming on. He, Clarus and Regis had spent the whole last night finishing off the decanter of scotch and discussing Cor’s mission. They had chosen the Glaives by hand, but it was mostly for their skills, not for their conversational prowess. They were talking about which of the female members of their outfit back in Lucis they’d take to bed, and the whole thing made Cor feel fifteen years older than he was. How could they be so carefree when the world was crashing down around their ears? Cor could feel it, even as he sat and watched the tree line for movement. The Niffs could have sentries. That’s what he would do, if he were military commander of Nifleheim. Sentries would keep an eye out for Lucian parties doing exactly what they were doing, stop them from—

            “Hey, sir. Are you taking first watch?” A quieter Glaive, Paxton, asked. Cor started and glanced, wide-eyed, at the Glaive.

            “Yeah. I’ll take first watch.” He said, voice gruff. Paxton furrowed his eyebrows.

            “You alright, sir? You didn’t even have any dinner,” He gestured to the pot of stew they’d cobbled together with rations and some wild vegetables they’d found in the area.

            “If you could call that dinner,” Cor tried to joke, before stretching out his back. The Glaive took his leave after exchanging a few more pleasantries.

            Cor ended up taking the first three watches that night, scanning the tree line and watching the sky.

 

***

            The plan was simple, which is exactly why it went to hell. He and the team of Kingsglaive were to take the base rumoured to be the seat of military operations in the Duscae region and get as much intel as possible, with the added bonus of taking the base out of action. For a few weeks, anyway. Cor felt the desperation that Regis had unloaded onto him clawing at his throat as they got into position. He silently asked whatever gods that were listening to let this not be a shitshow.

            Two hours later, it was boldly apparent that it must’ve been that asshole Ifrit who was listening. Two of his team were incapacitated, and five more were locked down in a heavy firefight near the front of the base. Three were working towards their position, three were with Cor working towards the offices and labs, and the last five were trying to get to the two that had gotten themselves blown up.

            “Sir, with all due respect,” Paxton grunted over the comms. “We need to pull back. This is going south, fast.”

            “It’s _already_ south!” Cor roared as he relieved another Magitek soldier of its head. “We need this intel.” They burst through a set of metal double doors and into an area that was clearly a lab. “Look for anything that could be intel, anything we can use.” The team of four fanned out. Cor made his way behind the desks and into the office area with his heart in his throat. He sifted through the desk and took files labelled with schematics and plans, shoving them in his pack, before he heard a small, warbling cry. “Who was that?”

            “Who was what, sir?” A Glaive responded after a beat of silence. Cor didn’t answer as he rounded the desk to the other door in the room. It was unlocked, and he carefully opened it. A light hummed to life automatically over his head.

            There were rows and rows of medical tables with restraints sitting open. Cor’s eyes scanned the room, narrowing at the instruments left abandoned beside the tables. At the far end, one table remained occupied. The unlucky tenant, a boy who couldn’t possibly be more than six or seven, was strapped to the table and naked. He shook with sobs, and Cor froze.

            “What the hell?” He muttered, sheathing his sword. He took three quick steps to the child on the table and began to inspect the restraints. The child shrieked as he neared, and yanked hard on the manacles to get the farthest away from him that he could. A fish hook, fastened somewhere behind his breastbone, tugged _hard_ and made him pause.

            “Sir, we have to pull back _now._ Axel and Hal are with the team and they’re on their way back out of here.” In a heartbeat, Cor made his decision. He called upon a small knife and popped the restraints before scooping up the kid. He was wearing some kind of black bodysuit, and it was starkly apparent that the boy had some kind of idea of how to fight. The proof was in the small hands that found a tender point in Cor’s throat and jabbed, surprising him into almost dropping the boy.

            “Fulgarian’s beard,” He grunted, tightening his grip. Paxton met him at the door and gave him a well-deserved incredulous look.

            “What the hell?” Cor met his gaze, and Paxton apparently saw something there that made him shut up. “Let’s go, sir,” Cor grunted and followed him out.

            Regis was going to strangle him.


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “So, uh. You speak English?” He asked gruffly. The kid swallowed hard. “You’re allowed to answer.” More silence. Cor crossed his arms and sat back in his chair. His temper flared at the kid’s raised chin and set of his jaw. “Answer me, that’s an order. Do you speak English?”
> 
> “Yes.” The kid spat a moment later. The nurse, previously appalled at Cor’s tone of voice, looked at him incredulously. Cor blinked at the kid, who shifted under his gaze. The nurse slipped out of the room, seemingly to summon somebody to come help him out. “Are you my new commanding officer?” Cor’s heart pounded in his chest.
> 
> “Gods, I hope not,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You'll pry my "Cor, the previous child soldier and given far too much to handle at the ripe age of fifteen has quite a bit of Issues" headcanons out of my cold, dead hands.

            Cor was seated in the hallway outside of Regis’s office. One of the more forceful Council members was inside, not even trying to muffle his voice.

            “He was told to bring back intel, and all he brought was plans for a machine that can physically never be built and a child! I have sources, good sources, that tell me that he has been slipping. He trains into the night, he is suspicious with the other members of the Kingsglaive, and he cannot follow simple orders. The Council calls for his immediate dismissal.” Clarus clapped a hand on Cor’s shoulder with an unreadable expression.

            “You said you found him strapped to a table?” He asked quietly. Cor nodded once, hands gripped to his knees to keep them from shaking. “Gods, Cor.” There was a long pause. “He’s only a few years younger than Gladiolus. Couldn’t be older than the Prince.” There was a hitch in his voice when he said his son’s name. “I can’t even imagine what they were doing to him.” There was a beat of silence as Clarus weighed his next words carefully. “I probably would have done the same thing, but you know you can talk to me, right?” Cor felt like the bench had been swiped from underneath of him.

            “What?” He replied, mouth feeling like it was filled with cotton.

            “You’ve been distant lately, that much that that prick has said is true.” He gestured over his shoulder to Regis’s office. It was quieter, so Cor assumed that Regis was quietly speaking to the Councilman, trying to get his ass out from over the coals. Again.

            “Yeah,” was all Cor could say. Clarus gave him a scrutinizing look before leaning his back against the wall and crossing his arms. Cor felt his heart drop. Clarus’s mind was like a steel trap. He’d think about this until one of them died, and with Cor’s luck, probably well after. Cor’s reckoning with mortality was interrupted by the door to Regis’s office flying open. It wasn’t until the man was stalking off down the hallway that Regis muttered, more to himself than to his friends, “And stay out,” He put one hand on his hip and one went to the bridge of his nose.

            “Come on in.” He said quietly. They sat back in the positions that they were in three nights previous, but instead of feeling better like Cor had hoped, he felt like crawling into a hole and staying there. Regis considered his words carefully, which told Cor of how truly pissed off he was. “Cor, can you tell me what was going through your head when you left that base?” Cor’s throat felt dry, and he cleared his throat before he spoke.

            “I took what I could from the office, and the rest of the men brought back information on a strike they were planning—“

            “Cor.” Regis interrupted sharply. “The child. You took a child from enemy territory.”

            “With all due respect, Your Majesty, he was strapped to a table. When I picked him up, he tried to take out my jugular,” Clarus snorted.

            “Only you would bring something home that went for your throat,” He growled, grinning. There was a pause where the three instinctively waited for the rest. Cid should be making a crass comment about how ‘we kept you around, so why start anything new now?’ and Weskham should be trying to bring the conversation back to order. The three felt the heaviness of the silence in the room before Cor cleared his throat again.

            “He was just so small,” He said softly. “What was he doing there, Regis? Strapped to a table?” Regis sighed deeply and sat back in his chair.

            “I don’t know. Your team took a lot of information, and we have our best combing through it now.” There was another pause in which Regis raked his hair back from his face. It had been getting long. “You know that this is the worst possible time to be bringing attention to yourself like that.” Dry, dry, dry, Cor’s throat was closing. “I can only keep them off your tail so long.”

            “They’re just jealous,” Clarus said lightly. “Not everybody can be Immortal,” Cor’s hackles raised at the nickname, and he felt the weight of his very few years on earth pressing against his chest. Regis broke a small, sad smile.

            “Just keep your head down, Cor. We’ll fix this. We always do.” Cor allowed a brisk nod. His knees were going to have fingerprinted bruised in them come morning.

            “Where is he?” He found himself asking. “The boy?” Regis blinked back at him in owlish surprise.

            “He’s in the medical wing. Would you like clearance to check on him?” Cor was nodding before he asked himself why. “Alright. I’ll do that, effective immediately.” Regis said, shuffling papers on his desk to find his pen.

            “What, did you get attached?” Clarus chuckled.

            “Sure. He almost brought me to my knees,” Cor answered, after a beat. “Not everybody can say something like that.”

            Cor took flight to the medical wing with Clarus’s booming laugh escaping Regis’s office behind him. He briefly wondered if he was fired, as he’d forgotten to ask.

 

***

            Cor and the boy eyed each other wearily. He didn’t really have a plan when he ran down here and he felt that awareness prickle the back of his neck.

            “So, uh. You speak English?” He asked gruffly. The kid swallowed hard. “You’re allowed to answer.” More silence. Cor crossed his arms and sat back in his chair. His temper flared at the kid’s raised chin and set of his jaw. “Answer me, that’s an order. Do you speak English?”

            “Yes.” The kid spat a moment later. The nurse, previously appalled at Cor’s tone of voice, looked at him incredulously. Cor blinked at the kid, who shifted under his gaze. The nurse slipped out of the room, seemingly to summon somebody to come help him out. “Are you my new commanding officer?” Cor’s heart pounded in his chest.

            “Gods, I hope not,” He managed. The kid clearly didn’t get it. “Do you have a commanding officer now?”

            “No.” The kid replied. Cor wracked his brain for questions he could ask the kid and still get answers.

            “Do you have orders?” The kid squinted at him for a moment.

            “Answer you.” He replied carefully. Cor nodded sharply.

            “That’s right. Answer me. Alright.” He stood from the chair. “Do those handcuffs hurt?” The kid was handcuffed to the bed, given the fact that he had a doctor in a headlock when they were trying to draw blood earlier.

            “Not much.” The kid responded. Cor squinted at the ‘much’ and came to inspect them.

            “They’re _way_ too tight,” He growled to himself before loosening them a bit. “That better?” His eyes lingered on a tattoo on the kid’s right wrist. It was obviously a barcode, but to what end, he had no idea.

            “Yes, sir.” The kid responded, more confidently this time. Cor cringed at the ‘sir’but didn’t know what else to do.

            “They feed you?” He asked crossing his arms. The boy struggled with this for a moment before Cor cast his eyes around the room. “Food. Meal. Dinner?” He tried, before seeing an empty tray on the side table. He lifted it up and showed it to him.

            “Mess,” The kid responded. Cor snorted humorlessly.

            “That’s for damn sure,” He said wryly. They had given him chicken noodle soup, the noodles being little stars. There was an ache in his chest he couldn’t explain. “Okay, kid. What’s your name?” The kid didn’t answer before the door swung open. The lead doctor, flanked by two nurses, descended upon the kid.

            “How did you get him to speak?” The doctor asks. “What has he said?” The kid’s eyes are blown wide.

            “I asked nicely,” Cor grits out, maintaining eye contact with the kid. The doctor starts flipping through his clipboard.

            “Well? What did he say?” The doctor asks after setting the clipboard down.

            “What’s it matter?” Cor asked, finally breaking the contact with the kid to glare at the doctor.

            “I’ve been told to report back to the Council the information we get from him.” The doctor said blankly. There was a brief silence where Cor wondered if they could hear him grinding his teeth. “Well?”

            “Kid just said he was hungry,” Cor replied, crossing his arms. “He speaks English.”

            “Anything else?” The doctor pressed.

            “The kid’s six years old,” Cor snapped. “What the fuck do you think you’re going to get from him?”

            “The Council just wants to collect the information.” The doctor sniffed. Cor felt his heartbeat in his ears and he stuffed his hands in his pockets in frustration.

            “Well, there’s nothin’ to collect.” He said gruffly. “Kid doesn’t even know his own name.” Before the doctor could reply, Cor ducked out of the room and stalked down the hallway. What the hell did the Council care anyway? They didn’t want the kid anywhere near the Citadel to begin with. His feet took him to the locker rooms, and he changed out of his uniform mechanically before making his way to the training room. The words ‘trains at all hours of the night’ echoed around in his skull before he unsheathed his sword. There he was, proving some other asshole right. Maybe he was. Maybe he didn’t deserve to be here. He grunted as he lunged through another movement. They called him Immortal, but he couldn’t help but feel like it was a slap in the face. Sure, Immortal sounded nice to most people, but he had outlived his King. What good was he alive if he had let the one man he was duty-bound to protect die? What good was he, now? His blade sang as he slashed it through the air.

            “Cor!” Clarus’s voice shocked him enough that he stumbled backwards a step. “I’ve been calling you for five minutes,” Clarus said gently from the doorway. Cor’s breath came in ragged gasps and he allowed his sword to drop. Clarus tossed him a bottle of water and he inclined his head in gratitude. They stood for a moment in silence while Cor caught his breath. “The kid’s that bad, huh?” Clarus finally said after Cor had mopped the sweat off his face.

            “They’re treating him like an inmate,” He spat finally. “He’s six, Clarus.”

            “I know, I know.” Clarus put his hands up. “I don’t agree with it, but… I don’t necessarily disagree, either. You said it yourself, he almost took you out. Almost knocked out the lead doctor, and after you left earlier he had a fit and managed to kick a nurse in the face.” Cor was already moving towards the door, but Clarus stopped him with a firm hand on his chest. He looked carefully into Cor’s eyes, thinking for a moment just long enough to make Cor uncomfortable. “Take a shower first, Leonis. You reek. I’ll wait.”

 

***

 

            They almost didn’t let Cor back in. It was Clarus’s face that did it though, and soon enough they were seated back in the room with a surly kid.

            “Hey, you can’t be fighting people like that,” Cor said, more gently than he felt. The kid lifted his chin and glared at him, and Clarus snorted.

            “Wow, kid’s got the same look you had when you were younger. Only took him six years, though. Took you fifteen.” Clarus teased. Cor glared at him and looked back to the kid.

            “Not helping. The doctors, they’re only trying…” He sighed and crouched. “They’re trying to help, kid.” He pushed the lie out and the kid seemed to know that he was struggling with keeping the scowl off his face, and the kid’s face twisted into a frown.

            “Yes, sir.” He said in a wobbly voice. Cor winced.

            “Stop calling me ‘sir’. My name’s Cor.” He growled automatically. He heard Clarus putting a hand on his face. “What’s your name? I can’t call you ‘kid’ forever.” He said drily and the kid frowned and shook his head. “Okay. That’s… Alright.” Cor stood back up and looked pleadingly at Clarus.

            “What if we gave you a name?” He asked gently, mirroring Cor’s previous position. The kid shrugged. “Alright, kid. We’ll think about it and come back for you.” Clarus stood to leave and Cor began to follow him before he stopped.

            “Hey, kid. No fighting. That’s an order.” He said, trying to force a stern note into his voice. The kid glared but nodded. “Good. We’ll be back to check on you tomorrow.”


	3. Chapter Three

            The next morning found Cor in a series of meetings. On one hand, he was antsy and wanted nothing more than to throw himself out a window to get away from these people, but on the other, he was glad he still had his job. He partially expected Regis to have to fire him. The day dragged on, but the one thing that kept his mask of cool indifference intact were the hushed conversations that he and Clarus shared when they had a moment of peace.

            “What about Niles?” Clarus suggested. Cor screwed up his face.

            “Where did you even hear that one? Some crappy TV soap opera?” Clarus huffed and crossed his arms.

            “Well, I don’t hear you coming up with anything.” Cor shrugged as there was a knock at the door and he moved to let the person in.

            “It’ll hit me when it hits me. His name’s gotta be just right.” Clarus rolled his eyes for show, but didn’t argue again. The door swung wide, and Cor stood back to let the person in. The lead doctor held up a hand.

            “Do you have a moment?” He looked harried, and Cor nodded once. “Can you come down to the medical wing? The child is getting increasingly agitated and won’t listen to reason.” Cor was already stalking down the hallway.

            “How many times do I have to tell you assholes? He’s six! He’s not going to listen to reason!” Cor barked, and Clarus laughed from behind him.

            “You’re gettin’ the hang of this.” He said, and Cor half-turned mid-stride.

            “Getting the hang of what?” He asked, pushing the door to the med wing open with a snarl.

            “Kids.” Clarus replied simply, and Cor rolled his eyes as he wheeled into the kid’s room. There were two nurses trying to hold him down, and another nurse trying to get him to drink some liquid.

            “It’s just a protein shake!” One of them cried. Cor put a hand firmly on his shoulder and took the shake from him.

            “Hey,” He said gently. The kid’s eyes flew open from where they were screwed shut. “What’s wrong with the shake?”

            “No, no, no, no,” The kid babbled. “I followed the orders!” Cor frowned. “Please don’t make me take it,”

            “Hey, hey, look at me.” The kid took a shuddering breath in and stopped trying to throw the nurses off. “What do you think this is?”

            “The medicine. The medicine, I don’t want it,” He babbled and Cor frowned.

            “Medicine for what?” He asked, not really expecting an answer. He looked into the cup, trying to decide if it looked strange, and that’s what set the kid off…

            “When you’re bad they give you medicine,” The kid said, voice shaking. He looked frantically at the nurses, who looked as out of their depth as Cor felt. “I wasn’t even bad today.” He said mournfully. Cor nodded.

            “No, you were good, right?” He looked to the nurse who was there yesterday, and she nodded. “See, she says so. We aren’t them, kid. Look,” Cor tipped the cup to his lips and took a swig. He tried to keep the look of disgust off of his face at the taste. “It doesn’t taste good, but it’s not going to kill you.” The kid watched curiously as Cor took a second sip for good measure. Cor held it out to the kid, who took it in both of his small hands. He took a big swig and his eyes got wide. Cor belly laughed at his unhappy expression. “I told you it was gross. Not nearly as good as the chicken and stars you had going on earlier, huh?” The kid blushed to his hairline.

            “Now that’s settled,” The doctor said scathingly. “He’ll need to be restrained again. I’m not taking any chances with this behavior.”

            “Hey, hey,” Clarus said, quickly stepping between Cor and the doctor. “That’s not necessary, right? There’s gotta be something else we can do.”

            “Is there anything wrong with him?” Cor asked. The kid sat frozen, with the cup gripped tightly in his hands.

            “He’s severely underweight, but other than that, no.” The doctor replied.

            “I’ll take him.” Cor said immediately. Clarus turned to him in surprise. “Finish your shake, kid. We’re getting out of here.”

            “Wait, Cor,” Clarus put a hand on his shoulder and lead him away from the doctor and towards the back of the room. “Are you sure this is the best idea?”

            “No, but it’s gotta be better than this. The kid’s terrified,” Cor said, waving a hand at the cot. “They’ve got him shackled to a bed. Does that make us any better than the Niffs?”

            “This is ridiculous. He is a prisoner of the kingdom, and should be treated as such,” The doctor spat, taking a step toward Cor. Clarus, while he admired the doctor’s guts, really didn’t want to deal with the paperwork of what was about to happen. He grabbed Cor’s arm.

            “He is a child!” Cor ground out, teeth clenched. “I knew you were nothing but a Council lapdog,” He spat, and Clarus pulled him back. He was going to calm him down when a crash sounded from the other side of the room. The door swung open, and the bed sat empty. Clarus, feeling very close to his mortality, released a snarling Cor, who took off down the hallway after the kid.

            He almost made it to the doors, too. Cor’s chest was heaving by the time he gathered the kid up in his arms and took his tiny wrists in one hand. The kid kicked out and clipped Cor in the jaw with a surprising amount of force for a six-year-old, but that just made Cor’s arm around his middle tighten, not allowing him to get any room to thrash.

            “Hey. What did I say about fighting?” Cor said in a low voice. The kid growled and tried to rip his hands free of Cor’s grasp. “Listen, bud, I know this is all real scary, but if you keep this up, they will never let you leave with me and they’ll make you drink those nasty shakes forever.”

            “Don’t care!” The kid snarled. If Cor hadn’t been actually struggling to keep ahold of him, he’d be impressed with his tenacity. “Let me go!”

            “Not gonna happen, kid. You have two options: you calm your happy ass down and you come with me, or you keep fighting and I have to leave you with them.” The kid growled but stopped thrashing. “Make your choice, yet?” His arms went slack.

            “Go with you.” The kid finally said. Cor straightened up, without letting go. He propped the kid on his hip.

            “That’s more like it. C’mon, I’m assuming we’re both going to get in quite a bit of trouble for this one.”

 

***

            Trouble didn’t even begin to describe it. Cor sat, holding a sleeping kid with his face nuzzled into his chest, as Regis reamed him out in a very low voice to avoid disturbing the child. It was somehow scarier to hear the words “nearly assaulting a Citadel staff member” in Regis’s bedtime story voice, reserved for Noctis only. Clarus stood in the back of the room with his arms crossed, quietly watching as Cor rubbed small circles in the sleeping child’s back.

            “Sir, they were treating him like an animal. He’s a kid. He doesn’t deserve this crap.” Cor replied weakly. He knew he was in deep. He shouldn’t have shouted at the doctor, and he knew it, but he wasn’t about to let them put his kid through more hell. He’d had enough in Nifleheim.

            “I’m sure that what you say is true, Cor, but you’re already at the end of your rope with the Council,” Regis said tiredly.

            “The same Council that’s monitoring a kid like he's an enemy of the throne,” Cor scoffed, sitting back lightly. The kid shifted slightly and fisted the lapel of Cor’s shirt.

            “What?” Regis asked, after he was certain the kid was asleep again.

            “The lead doctor, Barita or whatever his name is, said he wanted to know everything the kid said to report it back to the Council.” Cor said after a beat.

            “Is that so?” Regis asked, narrowing his eyes.

            “What, you didn’t tell them do to that?” Clarus asked, hackles raising.

            “Absolutely not. They didn’t discuss it with me, either.” Regis replied shortly. He ran a hand through his hair, seemingly deep in thought. “I’m going to have to have a nice, long, meeting with them very soon.” Cor was struck by how much he looked like Mors in that moment. When they were sitting around a campfire, listening to Cid tell tall tales with Clarus poking holes in the plot and Regis holding his sides in laughter, he looked so young. So carefree. He really was young, then. Hell, they’re all young _now._ “For now, we need to get the kid out of here.”

            “Let Cor take him home, like he said.” Clarus suggested. Cor turned slightly and blinked at his friend.

            “What?” He asked intelligently.

            “Come on, he’s got you wrapped around his little finger,” Clarus chuckled, trying to stay quiet. Regis laughed as well and the kid cooed. “See what I mean?” Cor had pulled him in tighter on instinct. “Feel lucky. You think that’s terrifying, you outghta see Iris. She’s not even a year old and her puppy dog eyes will bring you to your knees.”

            “I’m not… I don’t even have a stuffed animal in my whole entire house,” Cor stammered.

            “You’ll manage,” Regis said lightly. “It’s that, or give him back to the med wing,” Cor’s lip curled and he only just tamped down on the snarl that left his chest. “See, you’ll be fine. It shouldn’t be for long, anyway. My analysts are nearly done with the information your team collected.” Cor bobbed his head numbly. “Three or four days, max.”

            Clarus walked him to his car.

            “Kid’s fast, boy.” He mentioned offhandedly. “He almost had the jump on you.”

            “He did not,” Cor scoffed. “I was preoccupied.”

            “With rearranging Barita’s face,” Clarus replied. “Reggie’s right, man, you gotta get a grip sometimes.”

            “Why do you think I spend so much time training?” Cor asked pointedly. He was getting dangerously close to admitting something, and Clarus felt it, too.

            “Did you think of a name for him yet?” Clarus handed him an out. Cor looked down at the sleeping kid’s face.

            “Prompto. Kid’s name is Prompto.”

 


	4. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cor went around to the back to let Prompto out of the car, and much to his dismay realised the kid only had on the black jumpsuit he was found in. Prompto was thusly allowed to cling to Cor the whole way up the stairs to his apartment, and he wasn’t complaining. He was actually nearly asleep by the time Cor opened the door.
> 
> “Hey, Prompto,” He bounced him slightly and Prompto looked muzzily around. “We’re here. Wanna hop down and I’ll make some food?” Prompto did as he was asked. Cor began to stride into the kitchen, expecting Prompto to take a look around. Instead, he was hot on Cor’s heels, eyes even wider than they were in the car. “You can, uh, go sit on the couch, watch some TV if you want,” Cor mumbled, but he could see the rising panic in Prompto’s eyes. “Or you can help me cook?” Prompto nodded his head vigorously and Cor mentally kicked himself. Of course the kid was going to have some issues being alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oops, I accidentally wrote way more than I should have today...

            After a moment of debate, Cor decided to wake the child, newly dubbed Prompto, up before he turned the car on. He didn’t want him to wake up in a new place, disoriented and distraught. After settling him in the backseat, locking the doors and buckling him in, (“Isn’t there some kinda car thing you need for kids?” Cor asked a grinning Clarus. “I see it in the back of your car all the time,”) he turned and gently shook Prompto’s knee.

            “Hey, buddy.” He said in a low voice. Prompto blinked owlishly a few times before looking around with wide eyes. “You’re safe, don’t worry. We’re going to go to my apartment, alright?” He sleepily nodded, and Cor turned back around in his seat and started the car. Once he got out of the carpark, he adjusted his rearview mirror. “So, Clarus, the big guy with the funny hair and the bird tattoo, we were talking.” Prompto was watching out the window, but his eyes flicked towards Cor as he spoke. “And we were wondering if you had a name.”

            “Me? A name?” The kid asked after a few seconds. “Why?” Cor screwed up his face as they sat at the stoplight.

            “So we know what to call you?” He finally answered. He wished he had somebody, anybody else here in the car with him. “Everybody has to have a name.”

            “Your name’s Cor.” The kid said, shifting in his seat to see out the window better. “That’s what they call you?”

            “Yeah. What did they call you? Before I took you?” Cor asked, returning his main focus to the road.

            “The experiment.” The kid finally said. It was so quiet that the aircon almost drowned it out.

            “The experiment?” Cor asked incredulously.

            “That’s what they called me.” The kid replied, still looking out the window. He had no idea the gravity of what he just said.

            “Well, I sure as hell won’t be calling you that,” Cor barked. “How do you like Prompto?”

            “Prompto?” The kid asked, his voice squeaking on the last syllable.

            “Yeah. Means fast.” He saw Prompto sit back in his seat and watch him in the rearview mirror.

            “You’d call me a name?” He asked, voice fragile.

            “Yeah, buddy. I’d call you a name.” The kid was quiet for a few seconds before he nodded, face confused.

            “I like Prompto.” He said quietly. Cor cracked a smile.

            “Nice to meet you, Prompto.”

 

***

            Cor went around to the back to let Prompto out of the car, and much to his dismay realised the kid only had on the black jumpsuit he was found in. Prompto was thusly allowed to cling to Cor the whole way up the stairs to his apartment, and he wasn’t complaining. He was actually nearly asleep by the time Cor opened the door.

            “Hey, Prompto,” He bounced him slightly and Prompto looked muzzily around. “We’re here. Wanna hop down and I’ll make some food?” Prompto did as he was asked. Cor began to stride into the kitchen, expecting Prompto to take a look around. Instead, he was hot on Cor’s heels, eyes even wider than they were in the car. “You can, uh, go sit on the couch, watch some TV if you want,” Cor mumbled, but he could see the rising panic in Prompto’s eyes. “Or you can help me cook?” Prompto nodded his head vigorously and Cor mentally kicked himself. Of course the kid was going to have some issues being alone.

            He scooped the kid back up and set him gently on the counter.

            “Look how tall you are!” Cor declared, and the kid tilted his head at him with an incredulous look. “You must’ve grown, oh, this much since I last saw you!” Cor put his hand at approximately counter-height and Prompto stared at him for a full second before bursting into laughter. He thanked the Six that the one joke he had used on Noctis and Gladiolus had worked on Prompto. He cringed about the time he used it on Noctis’s young companion, Ignis. Ignis had simply given him a cool look and told him it wasn’t sanitary to be sitting on a countertop. Prompto was still giggling as Cor opened the fridge. He had a six-pack of beer, a head of lettuce that probably predated mankind, and some ketchup. He frowned and opened the freezer. There was one frozen pizza and an ice cube tray. He looked at the back of the pizza box and realized it had expired earlier that month. With a heavy sigh, he turned back to Prompto.

            “Okay, change of plans.” He declared. “Grocery store, then dinner.” Prompto swung his feet while sitting on the counter. This brought Cor’s attention back to the kid’s bare feet and the worn black jumpsuit. “Shit,” He groaned, pulling out his phone. It rang only twice before Clarus picked up.

            “Cor, I am so pissed off at you right now,” Clarus groaned. “You lasted exactly one minute longer than I thought you would.”

            “Oh, great,” Cor said drily. “What do you owe Reggie now?” Clarus chuckled darkly before Cor broke in. “No! Sounds like I don’t wanna know,” He protested and Clarus belly laughed.

            “No, you don’t. Why’d you call? Prompto alright?” Clarus asked, concern creeping into his voice.

            “Oh, yeah, Prompto’s great. He just doesn’t have any clothes. Or shoes. Or anything but a smelly outfit from the Niffs.” Cor said flatly. Prompto was toying with a bread bag Cor had left on the counter. “Or anything to play with.”

            “That’s totally fixable, no worries,” Clarus said calmly. “I’d offer him some of Gladiolus’s old clothes, but he’s so tiny I don’t think he has anything that’d fit.” Cor looked back at the frozen pizza with a frown. He’d definitely have to start grocery shopping more often. “Do you think he can handle being in a store?”

            “Yeah, I think we’ll manage. What else do you think he’ll need?” Cor grabbed a pen and drug back the sleeve of his uniform. Clarus talked him through a couple of things he had used every day with Gladiolus and Cor dutifully wrote everything down. Prompto had begun climbing across the counter and was rapidly reaching the stove.

            “Hey, hey,” Cor said gently. “That’ll burn you, don’t climb on that,” Prompto stopped in his tracks.

            “What’ll burn?” He asked, leg still in the air. Clarus was silent, listening to the exchange.

            “See those circles? If you push those buttons back there, they get hot.” Prompto inspected the buttons before seemingly giving it the seal of approval and climbing back the other way. Clarus began to give Cor a few more ideas before Cor squawked in what sounded like sheer terror. “You could have fallen and busted your head open!” He shouted. Clarus, now wearing a mask of confusion, sitting behind the wheel in rush hour traffic, pulled the phone back from his ear and looked at it as if it could answer his question.

            “Uh, Leonis?” He asked, after replacing it on his ear.

            “That counter is taller than you are! You know how bad it sucks to fall face-first off of something taller than you are, ‘cos I do!” Clarus frowned.

            “Why was he on the counter?” Clarus tried again, and Cor sighed deeply before answering.

            “I put him there. You don’t understand, the kid just jumped from one side of the kitchen to the other. I kidnapped a circus performer,” Cor groaned. Clarus barked a laugh.

            “Alright, Cor. I’m about to get the kids from daycare. Call me back if you need anything else,”

            “Thanks, Clarus,” Cor said warmly, scooping up a sheepish Prompto.

            “Anytime, brother.”

 

***

            As it turns out, they almost didn’t manage in the store. Everything was bright and loud, and Cor ended up sitting with Prompto perched on the boot of the car as he tried to calm down.

            “It’s totally alright, buddy. I should have warned you.” Cor said tiredly. Prompto sniffled and Cor pulled the sleeve down on his shirt and, mortified, mopped up the snot from Prompto’s face. “You wanna try one more time?” Prompto gave him a trepidatious look and Cor sighed. “I won’t put you in the cart again.”

            “Okay,” Prompto mumbled and reached out for Cor. Cor felt his tension from the screaming fit leech out of his body. He kept trying to put himself in Prompto’s shoes, but couldn’t quite grasp it. Prompto wrapped his arms around Cor’s neck and buried his face in Cor’s shoulder, further wiping snot on Cor’s shirt. Cor sighed deeply and reminded himself that he literally asked for this. This is what he wanted. He was going to fight a whole entire Citadel med wing to get this exact thing that was happening right now. He picked a basket up with his free hand. Cor made a beeline for the kids clothes, and Prompto shifted to peep up from Cor’s chest.

            “You wanna pick some stuff?” Cor asked. Prompto looked at the clothes in dismay. Cor, fearing another meltdown from being overwhelmed, set the basket down. “I’ll show you two things, and you can pick one of em, okay?” Prompto bit his lip, but nodded. “You’re gonna have to stand by yourself. Can you do that?” His eyes got wider, but he nodded again, grasping the neckline of his jumpsuit with both hands. Cor gently set him down, and picked up a pair of khakis and a pair of dark jeans. “This, or this?” Prompto looked Cor up and down before pointing at the jeans. Cor dumped jeans into the basket in two sizes, deciding to put off the changing room until the last moment. He held up a dark green tee shirt and a bright red tee shirt. Prompto chose the green. This went on until Prompto had chosen three outfits and a set of jammies. By the end, he was laughing at Cor’s increasingly animated throwing antics.

            “See, that wasn’t so bad.” Cor admonished gently. Prompto still insisted on being picked up, but considering the kid didn’t have any shoes on, Cor didn’t complain. He steered them in the direction of kids’ shoes and picked up a pair that had lights in the bottom. “Check this out,” He bounced them off of the display, causing the lights to flash. Prompto’s eyes got huge in his head and Cor chuckled.

            “Those ones,” He said in a hushed whisper as if he might scare them away. Cor held them up to the bottom of one dirty foot and threw Prompto’s size into the basket.

            “Okay, we’re going to have to try on some stuff to make sure they fit. You good with that?” Prompto frowned but nodded anyway. He went back to the changing rooms and brought Prompto inside. “Alright, off with the smelly jumpsuit.” He stood Prompto on the ground and Prompto leaned away from him.

            “No,” he whined lowly. Cor froze, feeling the impending shriek.

            “How come?” He asked gently, not making any sudden movements. Prompto simply shook his head. “We gotta see if they fit. It won’t hurt,” Cor assured, but Prompto looked at the floor, face red. “The sooner you get those off, the sooner you can look like a regular kid.” He said gently, crouching in front of him. Prompto screwed up his face, but took a step closer to Cor. Cor gently undid the zipper and wiggled the jumpsuit down Prompto’s arms but paused in horror. There were several scars across Prompto’s torso and over his tiny shoulders. His nose had started running again, and Cor absently swiped at it with his thumb and wiped it on his pants as he turned the boy around. There was a large, ropey scar on the boy’s spine.

Cor could feel his heartbeat in his ears as Prompto, shoulders shaking, stepped out of the jumpsuit and put his hands on the back of his head.

“What are you doing?” He asked, voice rough and low.

“Getting ready?” It sounded like a question. Cor put a hand over his eyes and breathed deeply for a moment.

“No, no, no.” He muttered to himself. “It’s alright. What outfit do you want to try first?” He brought his hand down, slowly, and picked up the basket. “Green shirt, blue shirt, or black shirt?” He gestured to them in turn, realizing he didn’t even know if the kid knew his colours.

“Black shirt,” Prompto said, eyes wide and hands still on his head.

“Alright. Arms up,” Cor said, voice tight. Prompto moved quickly to do as he was told and Cor felt a lump form in his throat. He gently tugged the shirt over his head and was dismayed to find that even the 4 was a bit big. “We’ll get them a bit big. You’ll grow into them.” He assured a shivering Prompto. He hung the size 6 shirts on the wall before bending to pick up the pair of dark jeans. “Step in, please,” He instructed, and Prompto complied. He still had the terrified expression on his face, but the confusion was beginning to seep in around the edges. “Alright. Good job, Prompto. Let’s get the other thing back on so I can pay for this.” Prompto limply did was he was told and Cor scooped him back up. Dazed, Prompto put his head back on Cor’s shoulder and Cor ground his teeth. What had this kid been through?

Cor stalked from the changing rooms and began to make a beeline for the cash register before a brightly coloured endcap got his attention.

“Hey, kid.” Prompto lifted his head and looked at him with watery eyes. “Check this out.” Cor walked closer to the display and set down the basket. “Look, they’re blocks that you build stuff with. You can build a boat, or a plane,” Cor started. He was interrupted by two kids running past him, ahead of their mom.

“Don’t run in the store!” Their mom called after them, but the request fell on deaf ears as the kids pulled out a bike. “Guys, we aren’t buying them today so you might as well put it back.” The oldest jumped on the bike and rode down the aisle, much to the mom’s irritation. Cor stole a glance at Prompto, who was watching with an awestruck look on his face, even as the snot dried on his upper lip. Cor absently wiped at it as the younger kid, only a little older than Prompto, pulled a skateboard down from the shelf and chased after his brother. The mom followed after, shouting and threatening punishment, but Prompto was unfazed by the loud voices.

“Wanna check it out?” Cor chuckled. Prompto nodded vigorously and tipped forward, reaching his feet down. Cor allowed him to slide out of his arms and onto the floor. Prompto cautiously padded over to the skateboard display and inspected them intently. Cor sighed with relief, eyeballing the bikes and trying to figure out if he could fit it in his car. Prompto reached out to a bright pink skateboard and turned it over to see a happy chocobo design on the bottom. He turned to Cor with wide eyes. “Put it in the basket, Prom. You need a helmet. And elbow pads. And knee pads.” Using the same method as the clothes, Prompto chose a bright green helmet and neon yellow elbow pads and knee pads. “At least nobody’s gonna lose you,” Cor chuckled, but Prompto was enamoured. “Anything else catch your eye?”

“No,” Prompto yawned. He leaned on Cor’s leg and Cor scooped him back up.

“Alright, you hungry?” Prompto nodded into his shoulder. “Let’s get some grub and get going.”

Cor chose some groceries and toiletries for Prompto for the next few days and lamented his choice in a basket as soon as Prompto fell asleep. He continuously crouched, very slowly, to pick up items and put them in his basket without waking the boy. He finally got what he needed and made his way to the front of the store. The cashier looked on with amusement as Cor realised that his wallet was in the back pocket on the side that Prompto slept and Cor reached around his back to dig it out.

“Cute,” the cashier cooed. Cor felt his face flush. “My dad definitely didn’t carry me at that age.” She chuckled.

“Oh, yeah,” Cor stammered. “Mine either.” He finally decided on saying. That was the understatement of the year, but an underpaid and overworked teenager working the till at a department store didn’t need to know that. She rung him up and he paid in amicable silence, and he gathered the bags and made his way out to the car. Prompto stayed asleep, even as he was buckled into the back seat and Cor started the car.

When they pulled into the apartment complex, Cor dreaded the six flights of stairs carrying both the boy and Prompto’s clothes, but eventually, everyone made it.

“Prom,” Cor said gently, waking him up. “Hey, we’re back.” Prompto woke slowly, and Cor allowed him to get down once he was nearly back around. “You gotta get a bath, buddy.” Prompto gave him another blank look before Cor sighed and brought him to the bathroom, the new jammies and soap in tow.

Cor began running water for a bath and talked himself into asking the kid to strip again. He dreaded seeing what the Niffs had done to him again, but the poor kid probably hadn’t ever had a bath in his life.

“Alright, Prompto.” He said gently. “Let’s get that getup off again, huh?” Prompto, looking less terrified than he had before, stepped out of his jumpsuit. “Shorts, too.” Prompto complied, looking more suspicious by the second. “It’s gonna be warm,” He warned, before scooping him up and plunking him in the tub. Prompto’s eyebrows climbed his forehead, but he didn’t freak out, which Cor counted as a victory. “How’re you doing?”

“This is good.” Prompto declared firmly, and Cor couldn’t help but laugh.

“You’re right.” Prompto shifted slightly, and Cor dug around in the bag for the bottle of soap. “You like this smell?” He flipped open the cap and tilted it toward a suspicious Prompto. Just as he leaned in, Cor gently squeezed the bottle, causing Prompto to squeal in surprise before dissolving into giggles. “That’s all of my kid-appropriate jokes, Prom. Appreciate them.” Prompto made a confused face before Cor shook his head. “Nevermind. Get your hair wet.” Cor wondered if the kid had ever had a haircut. It was long and blonde, nearly down to the middle of his back. When he resurfaced from dunking his head, Cor squeezed some soap onto his head.

“Do you like your hair long?” Prompto shrugged. “You can have it short like mine if you want,” He shrugged again. “Alright, let me know if you want anything different.”

Bath time went relatively well, and Prompto was in his jammies and following Cor out to the kitchen in no time. Cor put him back on the counter after making him explicitly promise he would not be jumping across the kitchen again, and he began making some simple spaghetti. Prompto watched, curious, as Cor cooked, but didn’t say anything. Cor whistled a tune he must’ve heard in the store as he worked, and once the meal was done, he put some in two bowls and helped Prompto off the counter.

“Alright. Dinner, then we’re gonna learn how to brush our teeth, then bed.” Cor said wistfully. He couldn’t wait to sink into bed and pass out. They ate quietly, and Cor kicked himself for putting Prompto in the tub _before_ dinner. The kid had sauce behind his ears, by some stretch of physics.

Once Cor finished scraping half of Prom’s meal off of his face, they went back to the bathroom for a crash course on dental hygiene. Cor put the special kid toothpaste on the special kid toothbrush (“Shiva’s tits, Clarus, does he need special kid shit paper as well?”) and handed it to him, after sitting him on the counter for a better view of the finer points of brushing one’s teeth.

“And then you just,” Cor stuck his own toothbrush in his mouth and Prompto followed suit. When Cor decided that they had both had enough, he took his toothbrush out of his mouth and leant over the sink to spit. As he was spitting, he heard a small gulp and saw Prompto sticking his toothbrush out to him. “Did you swallow that?” Prompto nodded, frowning slightly. “Oh, boy.” Cor fished the box out of the trash can and scanned the back. “You’re not really supposed to,” He mumbled and gave up on the box, texting Clarus instead.

**can u swallow kid toothpaste?**

Prompto’s eyes widened and he pulled his knees to his chest.

“I’m not?” He asked and Cor put out a hand.

“I’m sure you’re fine. You don’t feel gross, do you?” Prompto shrugged, looking more terrified and bewildered by the second.

 **I dunno, did you?** Clarus replied, and Cor glared at the phone.

 **no u ass, prompto did** Cor rinsed off Prompto’s toothbrush and they mutually catastrophized for the thirty seconds it took for Clarus to reply.

 **He’s fine, you worrywart. Regis wants to know if you’re coming in to work tomorrow.** Cor sighed.

“Clarus said you’re fine,” Cor told Prompto, who nodded wearily. “He has two kids, one a little older than you and one younger than you, so I think I’m gonna trust him.”

“Okay,” Prompto said, clearly not on board. Cor chuckled and rolled his eyes.

 **why wouldn’t i** Cor responded, scooping Prompto up. He brought him out to the couch and pulled the throw blanket down and fluffed up the pillow he used to lay down on when he watched TV.

“There you go, buddy. Sorry it’s just a couch… I don’t have another bedroom,” He said, and waved his arm at his apartment. His explanation fizzled out. “I’m going to get a shower and go to bed, okay?” Prompto nodded, still looking pale. “Yell if you need anything.” Cor ducked into the bathroom.

 **Where do you think you’re gonna put Prompto?** Cor stared at the phone for a second before stripping out of his snot-covered uniform. He would shower first, then deal with that very fair point later.

Cor dried off, stepped into some sweats, and picked his phone back up before opening the bathroom door. Something small fell into the bathroom with a shout, and he realised that Prompto had been sitting on the floor with his back to the door. He laid on the floor in the doorway, looking sheepishly up at Cor.

“You’re not gonna stay on the couch, are you?” Prompto shrugged. “Okay.” Cor sighed. “Come on.” Prompto allowed himself to be hefted off the floor and onto his feet, then padded after Cor and into the bedroom. “Hop in,” Cor pulled back the covers and gave Prompto a boost into bed. “Light on or light off?”

“Off.” Prompto said decisively, and Cor flipped the switch and got into bed as well.

**looks like hes gonna come with me.**


	5. Chapter Five

He was too slow. He was too slow; he wasn’t going to make it in time. His legs were made of lead; his spine of sponge. He was breathing hard, pushing his body to the limit, but nothing could save King Mors. His eyes were glassy and his chest still, but Cor still fought to close the distance. He was dead. He was dead. Mors was dead and Cor was useless. Cor was dead and Cor was useless.

Small, cold hands gripped the sides of his face frantically, and Cor’s eyes flashed open to see Prompto’s terrified face hovering over him in the darkness. Both of their faces were wet and flushed.

“I’m sorry, kid.” He croaked. He must’ve been screaming. Prompto was still for a moment before allowing his head to thud onto Cor’s chest. They lay for a few moments before Prompto spoke up.

“I get them too.” He said quietly. Cor felt electricity race up and down his legs, so he gently detangled himself from Prompto and the blankets and stood up.

“Do you want to walk with me, or go back to sleep?” Prompto hopped out of bed in answer. The red flashing numbers on his bedside stand said that it was hours before they needed to be awake to go to the Citadel, so Cor slid a hoodie on and began the process of carefully rolling the sleeves up of another hoodie for Prompto, then sliding on both of their shoes.

They walked the path that Cor usually did at this time of night in relative silence, Prompto tripping along beside him. It made Cor’s chest ache to see the kid giving him careful sideways glances, wearing Cor’s hooding and trying his best to have his hands shoved in the pockets just like Cor. After about a half hour, they made it back to the apartment and made the climb up the stairs.

“This is the first time you climbed these stairs, huh, punk?” Cor said, voice still ragged but teasing.

“I’m not a punk,” Prompto replied, nose wrinkled. Cor chuckled as he unlocked the door.

“Then what are you?” He asked, genuinely waiting for the answer.

“I’m a Prompto!” The kid crowed, raising his hands in the air. The sleeves of the too-big hoodie slid down his arms, exposing the long sleeves of the chocobo jammies underneath, and Prompto’s grin was luminous. Cor threw his head back and laughed.

“You’re right, kid. You are a Prompto.”

 

***

After another bout of sleep, Cor woke to his alarm. He blinked the sleep from his eyes to see that he was being strangled to death by a small, blonde boa constrictor. He grunted as he smoothed the wild hair back from Prompto’s face.

“Hey,” He said, starting gently. “Hey, it’s time to wake up.” Prompto cracked one eye and took a lazy look around.

“Okay,” He sighed, but didn’t release Cor from his clutches. Cor laughed slightly but actually found it hard to do so.

“Breathing’s nice,” He wheezed a little, and Prompto woke fully and let go. “Why were you tryin’ to turn me into a tube of toothpaste?” Prompto didn’t fully understand the sentence other than the ‘why’ bit, but he tilted his head at Cor anyway.

“You were making those noises again,” Prompto replied simply. He bounced on the bed a few times and Cor squinted at him.

“Do you have to go to the bathroom?” Prompto shrugged, which Cor took to mean ‘those Niff bastards didn’t teach me enough vocabulary words’. “C’mon. Let’s figure _this_ out.”

As he held onto Prompto to avoid having him slip directly into the toilet, he wondered if Clarus had any kind of kid contraption to make this hell cease. Prompto had nearly gotten himself stuck in his panic when he realised he was slowly sliding into the watery depths below, and Cor had to lever his foot behind the toilet to get him out without hurting him.

“Prompto, listen.” Cor rambled, to make this whole thing less awkward. “When I hand you a snack, you eat it, you got me? If I give you some milk, you drink it, you hear?” Cor grunted and shifted. “And don’t touch coffee until you’re forty. It’ll stunt your growth, and the Six knows that’s exactly what we need.”

“I’m done,” Prompto said, completely red.

“Can you handle… the rest?” Prompto nodded and Cor handed him the roll of paper from the counter.

“Go nuts, kid. Come out to the kitchen so we can wash up and have breakfast after you’re done.” Cor padded out to the kitchen and aggravatedly washed his own hands. How was he supposed to know that kids butts could fall into a toilet? This was the worst idea that he has ever had, and he’s had quite a few. He heard the toilet flush and was relieved to see Prompto bounce out of the bathroom a few seconds later. “All good?”

“Yep!” He assured. “What’s breakfast?” He chirped, sticking a foot on the bottom drawer pull and climbing up to the counter. Cor breathed deeply and picked his battles, for once in his entire life.

“We gotta wash our hands first,” Cor wrapped his head around what Prompto said as he squeezed soap onto Prom’s hands. “Did you say what’s _for_ breakfast or what _is_ breakfast?” He asked. Prompto squinted, looked down at the water running over his hands, then nodded. “Okay. Both. Breakfast is the food you eat first thing in the morning. Lunch happens halfway through the day, then dinner at night. That spaghetti yesterday was dinner.” Cor added. Prompto looked suspiciously at him. “That shit I had to wipe out from behind your ears.” He elaborated drily, and Prompto’s eyes flashed with recognition. “What did you eat before?” Prompto shrugged. “Well, you’re gonna have some eggs and bacon for breakfast, alright?”

“Alright!” Prompto crowed. Cor figured the kid had absolutely no idea what eggs and bacon were, but he was excited anyway, and that made him smile as he turned on the long-dusty radio in the corner.

“You ready to jam?” Prompto screwed up his face as he listened to Cor flipping through the channels.

“Jam?” He repeated.

“Yeah. You know. Music.” Cor gestured to the radio. Prompto shook his head slowly, and Cor shrugged. “You’ll like it! Here we go,” Cor put it on a station he was pretty sure he used to like. It had been so long since he’d actually listened to the radio while he cooked, he couldn’t even remember the stations. Hell, it had been so long since he cooked period…

“What’s that?” Prompto pointed to the carton of eggs Cor had dug out of the fridge.

“Eggs. Chickens make em.” The ad on the radio ended and a guitar strummed a lazy chord. Cor hummed along and sang a few of the words he knew as he worked on not breaking the yolks of the eggs. The song came to a close just as he finished the eggs and started dumping the bacon into the pan. A twanging guitar filled the room and he stole a glance at Prompto. He was watching the bacon cook in the pan with his head tilted. “Do you like this song?” Prompto thought for a moment.

“Are there other ones?” Cor chuckled.

“Yeah, there’s a bunch. We’ll keep listening.” Cor promised. “Wanna pick something you like?” Prompto nodded and Cor scooped him up and set him on the other side of the counter, to avoid a repeat of the High Flying Prompto act from the other night. “You push this button to flip through channels. Listen to whatever.” Cor poked the bacon around in the pan as Prompto prodded the radio until a dirty guitar riff filled the kitchen. He turned and saw Prompto’s eyes widen in delight. “Oh, good,” Cor grumbled. “Kid’s a metalhead.”

They ended up leaving that station on while they ate, much to Cor’s amusement. Prompto couldn’t sit still more than usual.

“Prompto, pick one. Breakfast or tunes. There’s egg all over the place,” Cor teased. Prompto blinked owlishly before tucking into his breakfast with renewed vigour. He cleaned his plate and ran into the kitchen. Cor stood and looked, dumbfounded, at the plate, then into the kitchen.

Prompto was jumping up and down in time with the music and grinning, throwing his hands in the air. His snarled hair trailed behind him like a comet’s tail as he bounced his way across the kitchen floor.

“Sorry to be a party pooper, kid, but we gotta get ready for work.” Cor shut off the music and Prompto’s lower lip wobbled. “We can listen to more in the car.” He quickly promised, and Prompto’s smile returned and he followed Cor back to the bathroom.

“Alright, we gotta brush our teeth—“ Prompto squawked.

“Again?” He asked, voice squeaking. Cor laughed.

“Yeah, buddy. Twice a day.” Prompto looked on in abject terror as Cor prepared both of their toothbrushes and handed one to Prompto. He begrudgingly copied Cor and was very, very certain that he spat every bit of toothpaste out at the end, much to Cor’s amusement.

“We gotta brush your hair, or something, buddy. It’s all kinds of tangled.” Cor grabbed his brush and knelt next to Prompto. He began to work on the snarls from the bottom to avoid ripping the poor kid’s scalp off, but Prompto still whimpered every few tugs. It took five minutes of brushing, with a solid two-minute break in the middle for a march around the bathroom to “walk it off”, but finally Prompto looked less like a bush baby.

Prompto copied Cor in getting himself dressed, and Cor watched him out of the corner of his eye. The kid was great at picking things up just from watching. He tied his shoes mostly right on the first try, which surprised Cor to no end. Just from watching Clarus raise Gladiolus and watching him get frustrated and snip the poor kid’s laces when they got too tangled and start with new laces, he knew that a lot of kids had issues with tying shoes.

This morning, Cor decided to wear a collared shirt. He figured that dressing a bit more professionally would lend itself well to having a six-year-old following him around all day. He chose a tie, not that it was a hard choice. Most of his ties were plain black. He watched as Prompto’s face slid into a look of confusion.

“It’s a tie.” He said simply. “Sometimes people wear ‘em when they dress up.” He still looked confused. “When they dress nice, you know, professionally or for a date or something,” The kid nodded.

“Why are you dressing up?” He asked.

“Because I’ve been a real pain in the ass at work and I want to look nice,” Cor replied, grinning wryly. Prompto looked at the tie intently and Cor chuckled, reaching out for another and slipping the knot on his own. “Hop up.” Prompto stuck a foot on the drawer pull and clambered onto the dresser. “Watch.” Cor slowly tied his tie again, making exaggerated movements. Prompto copied him, the tiny tip of his tongue stuck between his teeth. It was crooked and just a bit too tight, but it was tied. “Good job, Prom,” Cor said, ruffling his hair. “You ready?” Prompto nodded and grinned, sliding down from the dresser.

On his way out the door, Cor stopped in the kitchen and grabbed a packet of fruit snacks, a pack of cheese crackers, a banana, and a pack of celery and ranch dip that he’d gotten from the store yesterday, as well as a little carton of milk and a bottle of water. He looked around for a bag to put them in and sighed deeply as he stuck everything in one of the shopping bags that were still on the counter. He’d have to make the kid pick out a lunch box or something. They were almost out the door when Cor set his jaw and also put a handful of napkins in the bag, thinking about all the snot that he was going to have to wash out of yesterday’s uniform with a shudder.

On the drive over to the Citadel, Prompto insisted on listening to the loudest rock station possible and Cor instituted a volume limit almost immediately. Prompto was still pleased, however, and as they got out of the car, he continued to bebop to the music he continued humming. In the elevator, Cor looked up the price of an mp3 player and some decent headphones. Prompto burst out of the elevator, humming and hopping on the blue tiles in the centre of the hallway.

“Wait!” He cried and Cor stopped so quickly his shoes squeaked.

“What?” He asked, looking up from his phone. Prompto pointed at the tile under his feet.

“These ones only.” Cor looked down and shrugged, adjusting his gait. Sated, Prompto continued on.

“These ones are blue,” Cor muttered, tapping ‘add to cart’. “The colour of ‘em.” Prompto squinted at them and nodded.

“What about those ones?” He pointed to the ones in between.

“That’s white.” Prompto hummed.

“This is my office.” Cor declared, nudging Prompto in the direction of his door. There weren’t any blue tiles on the edge of the wall, so grinning, Prompto backed up on the tile and flung himself across the space.

“Whoa,” Cor said, chuckling. “Did you make it?” Prompto nodded and laughed as Cor easily stepped into his office without touching the white tiles. “Okay, I have a few meetings today. You can come with, but you gotta be super quiet and calm. Can you do that?” Prompto nodded. “Okay, let’s go see Clarus and Regis first.” He put Prompto’s milk and water in his small fridge and the snacks on top. “Blue tiles only?”

“Blue tiles only,” Prompto agreed. They made their way back to the elevator and to the floor that Clarus’ office was. Prompto switched to the black tiles in the centre of the hallway and Cor followed suit until he knocked on Clarus’ closed door.

“C’mon in!” He called. Cor opened the door and poked his head in, seeing Clarus sitting at his desk.

“Hey,” Prompto poked his head in under Cor. “Figured I’d stop by and let you know I’ve got Prom with me,” Cor began. Clarus looked up from his papers and chuckled.

“I see that. Come on in and have a seat. I was just looking at some ‘Glaive applications.” Cor nodded.

“Great, so I probably have a pile of them too.” He grumbled, putting a hand on Prompto’s back and leading them into Clarus’ office. They talked shop for a bit, and Prompto quickly lost interest in the conversation. He was far more interested in all the photos that were on the wall of the office. The man in them, he knew was Clarus. There was a little version of him in a lot of the pictures, and sometimes a lady that he didn’t know. He oozed out of his chair slowly, to avoid making a noise and annoying Cor or Clarus. There were pictures everywhere, with various scenes of the people. Sometimes, the smaller version of Clarus was much, much smaller, and there were a few with another smaller person in them. None of those had the lady in them. Prompto didn’t quite understand, but they fascinated him. Behind the desk where Clarus sat, there was another picture, but this one was different. It was much bigger, and it had only one person in it. He didn’t know the person, but he looked like Clarus, too.

“That’s a painting of my dad,” Clarus said from behind him. He couldn’t help but jump. Prompto nodded but didn’t understand most of the sentence. Cor noticed the kid’s confused face but couldn’t quite parse out a way to explain. Cor added ‘paints’ to the list ongoing in his head for things to grab on the way home. “Are you wearing one of Cor’s ties?” Clarus asked, chuckling. Prompto nodded and looked down at it.

“He tied it himself,” Cor said, pride swelling in his chest. He knew he should probably reel this in a bit, but he couldn’t help it when Prompto flashed him a mega-watt smile. “He just watched me do it and copied me. Tied his own shoes, too.” Clarus looked down at Prompto in shock.

“Wow. Smart kid.” He said, patting Prompto’s head.

“Is Regis in? I’m want to stop in and let him know, as well.” Prompto walked over to Cor and put his head on his knee. Cor laughed at Prompto’s dramatics. “And it looks like he’s getting bored.” Clarus chuckled.

“Yeah, Regis is in. I’ll talk to you later. What are you doing for lunch?” Cor shrugged. “I can go get Gladiolus from school for his lunch period. Maybe see if they make friends?” Clarus suggested.

“Sure. Bet Gladiolus will be thrilled to not have to eat school lunch,” Clarus chuckled and Cor and Prompto saw themselves out. They followed the black tiles down the hallway a ways before getting to Regis’ door. The ‘Glaives stationed outside informed Regis that he had visitors, and once he tied up his phone call, allowed Cor and Prompto in.

“Hey, Regis. Figured I’d stop by and let you know I’ve got Prompto,” Cor said, sliding into the chair he usually sat in. Prompto leant on his leg. This office was much bigger and much fancier than anything he’d ever seen, and the men outside in armour weren’t helping make it more approachable.

“Hi there, Prompto.” Regis greeted. “Did you get all dressed up to come into work today?” He nodded back at Regis. “How’s he been?”

Cor filled him in on the obvious lack of any kind of education, and how little he knew of the outside world. Regis listened with increasing worry.

“Do we know anything else about what they were doing to him?” Cor asked voice forced flat.

“The files all detail the… experiments… they ran on him.” Regis finally said, face strained. “It appears he’s the only one that survived, but there were more. Thirteen more.” Cor’s head spun and a dull ring invaded his ears.

“Six,” Cor swore. Prompto looked worriedly at him, and he tried his best to give him an encouraging smile. Prompto just clambered into his lap, all knees and elbows, and rested his head on Cor’s shoulder. “Please don’t put any snot on me,” Cor pleaded automatically.

“Snot?” Prompto asked, voice squeaking.

“That stuff that came out of your nose and went all over the place at the store yesterday.” Cor defined, making Regis laugh. Prompto nodded slowly.

“Okay.” He agreed, putting his head back down.

“We think we’re going to meet up with Clarus and Gladiolus on their lunch hour,” Cor said, changing the subject. He rubbed Prompto’s back and the tension the boy carried from listening in to the previous conversation slowly eased.

“Tell Gladiolus to pick Noctis and Ignis up as well, then,” Regis said, shrugging. “Noct will be quite upset with me if he finds out Gladiolus was allowed to go somewhere without him,” He chuckled. “Unfortunately, I won’t be able to get away, but you and Clarus should be fine.”

 

***

 

They ended up picking up the rest of the kids and going to a small diner. Clarus drove the three boys, presumably giving them a stern talking to on the way over. Cor tried to give Prompto a pep talk.

“So, are you excited to meet Clarus’ son and Regis’ son?” He asked, feigning casualty. Prompto shrugged. “They’re nice enough kids.” He stalled. He had no idea what else he could tell Prompto to make this go smoother, so he just settled on letting him listen to music. When they pulled up, Clarus was eyeing the car suspiciously.

 “I didn’t know you liked metal,” He eyed Cor as he unbuckled Prompto.

“I don’t. He does.” Clarus laughed and wiggled his pinky finger at Cor in a taunt. “I am not,” Prompto walked on the yellow line of the parking spot and looked at Cor expectantly. When Cor immediately followed suit, Clarus laughed even harder.

They got inside and immediately, Gladiolus and Noctis had to be separated.

“He started it,” Gladiolus scoffed, pouting.

“I did not,” Noctis whined and Gladiolus glared at him.

“Maybe if you weren’t such a baby,” Gladiolus shot back, and Prompto looked pleadingly at Cor. Cor chuckled.

“Do you want some juice to drink?” He asked, and Prompto looked relieved at the distraction. He nodded, looking at the menu he was holding. There weren’t many pictures, and Cor again wondered if the Niffs had taught him how to read. “You feelin’ anything specific?” He asked again and Prompto shook his head.

“I want what you get.” He said cheerfully, turning the page of the menu again. Clarus grinned at him.

“I wish _some other little boys_ were that easy to handle.” He stared daggers at his own son who scoffed.

“Dad, can we go play in the playground?” He asked, pointing at the room in the back of the dining area.

“Sure. What do you all want to eat and drink, first?” The three told Clarus what they wanted before tearing off to the playground.

“You can go too, if you want.” Cor offered. “Want me to walk you over?” Prompto nodded and slid out of his chair. They walked (on the red tiles, Cor informed Prompto) to the playground and Cor held the door open for both of them. Ignis was playing with the puzzle table under the tubes, where Noctis and Gladiolus were chasing each other. The two boys, who were currently sprinting across the bridge, slowed down when they saw Cor, and Ignis looked up from his puzzle. “Is it cool if Prompto joins you guys?”

“Sure! Prompto’s on my team!” Noctis shouted.

“You’re gonna need the help, runt,” Gladiolus shot back. Ignis crossed his arms from under the tubes.

“Let Prompto pick what team he’s on.” He called and Noctis rolled his eyes.

“Fine,” He sighed, putting his hands on his hips. “Prompto, do you want to be on my team,” He said brightly. “Or Gladio’s smelly team?” He scoffed and Gladiolus squawked in indignance.

“My team doesn’t smell!” He protested. Noctis stuck his tongue out.

“You smell. You’re the only one on your team. Ergo, your team smells.” Noctis declared, with all the confidence of a child who’s recently learnt a new word. Cor laughed and Prompto looked overwhelmed.

“Listen, guys. Prompto’s had a bit of a rough time, so go easy on him, alright?” Ignis narrowed his eyes at Prompto before stepping out of the playground.

“You don’t have to be on either of their teams if you don’t want to. I’m never on either of their teams because they _both_ smell.” He said primly, earning another laugh from Cor and shouts from Noctis and Gladiolus.

Prompto considered for a moment.

“Can we all be a team?” He asked, eyebrows furrowed in distress. Noctis laughed.

“Okay! I’m captain! Uncle Cor, can we have ice cream?” Gladiolus perked up at the mention of ice cream, and realized that this was the perfect situation in order to actually get ice cream before going back to school. Cor was a huge pushover with the kids, and they had managed to separate him from his stern father.

“Pleeeease, Uncle Cor?” He asked, putting on the biggest brown puppy dog eyes he could muster. Noctis followed suit, and Cor looked over to Ignis, who was even looking at him with interest. Prompto mostly just looked confused.

“I’ll talk to Clarus,” Cor said, defeated. Noctis and Gladiolus cheered and Cor laughed. “Go play, Prompto. We’ll come and get you guys when lunch is ready.”

 

***

 

“Is Cor your dad?” Noctis asked, as they were kicking their feet back and forth from on top of one of the tubes. Gladiolus had declared climbing on tubes ‘kid stuff’ and was trying his best to annoy Ignis. Prompto shrugged.

“I dunno.” A phrase he’d picked up from Noctis. Noctis scrunched his nose.

“How do you not know who your dad is?” Prompto shrugged, but it was clear that Noctis, unlike Cor, would not take a shrug for an answer.

 “I don’t know what a dad is,” He finally said. Noctis frowned.

“Your dad is… Your dad.” He said, frowning. He grabbed Prompto’s hand and they clambered down from the pipe together. “Ignis, tell Prompto what a dad is.” Ignis frowned.

“Your dad takes care of you,” He said simply.

“Reads you stories when you go to bed at night.” Noctis added.

“Makes you do your homework,” Gladiolus grumped. Prompto considered it for a few seconds.

“Probably. I’ll ask him later.” Noctis thought for a few seconds.

“Wait, if Uncle Cor is your dad, then we’re cousins!” He said, eyes wide. “I’ve never had cousins!”

“Me neither,” Ignis offered.

“Neither have I,” Gladiolus said, trying to pretend like he wasn’t interested. “Big whoop.” Prompto didn’t understand most of this, but he shrugged.

“I guess I don’t either.” He finally said. He didn’t know what he had.

“Ignis, you have to start calling him Uncle Cor. Then we can all be cousins,” Noctis said excitedly, shaking a disgruntled Ignis.

“Okay, okay,” Ignis grumbled, fixing the sleeve of his shirt. Noctis shouted with glee before turning to Prompto.

“Okay, and you gotta call my dad Uncle Regis. You too, Gladio!” Gladio scoffed.

“My dad will kill me.” He said flatly. “He told me I’m supposed to call him ‘Your Majesty’.”

“Tell him that I said so!” Noctis replied waspishly. “I’ll tell him, if you want. We’ve gotta be cousins!” Gladio considered this for a moment before agreeing. They began to go back to what they were doing before, climbing back up on the tube, when Noctis noticed Prompto’s tie.

“How come you’re wearing a tie?” Prompto asked.  He looked down at it.

“I’ve been a real pain in the ass,” He said nonchalantly. Noctis’ eyes grew wide. (The hair on the back of Cor’s neck stood up. Was there a draft?)

“Whoa,” Noctis breathed. Prompto felt uncomfortable. Was that wrong? “You’re so cool.” Prompto didn’t understand, but he was pretty sure Noctis was giving him a compliment.

“You too.”

 

***

 

When they were called back for lunch, Noctis steeled himself for asking Clarus if Gladio could call his dad ‘Uncle Regis’. He hadn’t forgotten, and was dead set on getting himself some cousins.

“Uncle Clarus?” He asked sweetly. He casually pulled the lettuce off of his hamburger. “Can Gladio call my dad Uncle Regis?” Clarus blinked down at Noctis and chewed his food faster.

“Why?” He asked, after he’d swallowed. Noctis poked at the pile of ketchup on his plate with a fry.

“So we can be cousins.” He replied, not looking at Clarus. Clarus looked at Cor, confused.

“I don’t think that’s how cousins work, Noctis,” Cor said gently, but Noctis pouted.

“Yeah-huh, there’s this girl in my class who says that she calls this other girl’s parents aunt and uncle and the other girl is her cousin. So if Gladio can call my dad Uncle Regis, then he’s my cousin. And Ignis too. And Prompto.” Cor looked down at Prompto, who was happily housing the kids’ chicken sandwich he’d been ordered. “Please?” He tacked on. Clarus shook his head.

“You’re gonna have to ask your dad, buddy. If he says it’s fine, then it’s fine with me.” Gladiolus and Noctis high fived.

“So, Dad, can Ignis and Prompto call you Uncle Clarus, too?” Gladiolus asked, emboldened by Noctis’ success.

“If they want,” Clarus finally answered. Cor and Clarus wondered what had gone on in that playground.

They did end up having ice cream. Cor and Clarus sat at a nearby table, allowing the four kids to take up a table to themselves. Prompto wasn’t quite sure what to do with his, so he watched Noctis. Noctis had a big strawberry sundae, Gladiolus had a chocolate sundae, and Ignis had a frozen lemonade. Cor had ordered Prompto a plain vanilla.

“We’ll figure out what you like as you go along,” He promised. Noctis scooped up a bite and stuck it in his mouth, and Prompto followed suit. It was cold, and it made his head and teeth hurt. Gladiolus noticed.

“Got a brain freeze?” He asked kindly. Prompto nodded, pretty sure he was going to die. “Don’t stick the ice cream on the roof of your mouth next time. If you put your thumb,” Gladiolus demonstrated. “On tha roof of yer mouf like dis, it doesn’ hurd no more,” Prompto did as he was told and soon, the headache abated. “You good?” Prompto nodded.

“Wanna try mine?” Noctis held out his bowl. “Uncle Cor said you never had ice cream before.”

“Sure,” Prompto agreed. He took a spoonful and hummed. “That’s good!”

“You may try mine too, if you’d like.” Ignis offered. This spurred a round of the kids switching ice creams until they’d tried each of the others.

“Do you have to go back to school, too?” Noctis asked as they threw out their trash and made their way back to the adults. Prompto screwed up his face.

“What’s school?” Noctis’ jaw dropped.

“You lucky,” He whined. “It’s awful. You go there and they make you do homework. The kids are weird,” Noctis shook his head. “How do you not go to school?”

“I dunno.” Prompto shrugged. “I used to go to training, but Cor came and now I don’t.”

“Training for what?” Gladiolus asked, intrigued.

“A bunch of stuff. I wasn’t good at it, though,” Prompto said quietly, thinking back to all the times he’d been punished for a sub-par performance.

“That’s okay. I bet you’d get better,” Noctis said cheerily. They reached the table where the adults sat. “Do we have to go back?” He asked, putting his hands on his head.

“Yep, ‘fraid so.” Cor chuckled. “Me and Prom gotta go back to work.”

“You get to go to work with Uncle Cor?” Gladiolus asked incredulously. “Dad, why can't I go to work with you?”

“Because you have school,” Clarus admonished. “Which we’re going to be late for if you don’t get in the car.” The boys groaned and made their way back to Clarus’ car.

“Hey, Uncle Cor!” Noctis called before he got back in the car. “Can Prompto come over later?”

“I’ll ask your dad to see if it’s alright,” Cor promised. Noctis’ face lit up.

“Thank you! See you later, Prompto!” He waved and Prompto waved back.

“See you later, Noctis!”

 

***

 

On the ride back to the Citadel, Prompto was quiet. They made their way back to Cor’s office and Prompto sat in the corner he had set up with snacks and papers and pencils to draw with. Cor took a phone call while Prompto mused. Was Cor his dad, now? Who was his dad before? After Cor got off the phone, Prompto went over to him.

 “Are you my dad?” Cor furrowed his brow in shock.

“Uh, why do you ask?” He spluttered. Prompto leant against his leg.

“I dunno.” Cor noticed the phrase he’d picked up. “Noctis said a dad does a lot of… Stuff?” Prompto was becoming frustrated trying to explain. “And you do a lot of stuff.”

“I don’t think I’d make a good dad, buddy.” Cor finally said. He felt like there was a rock in his throat when Prompto looked up at him with the biggest blue eyes.

“Yeah-huh.” Prompto said simply. Cor tried to swallow, but it came out a gulp. He watched Prompto for another few seconds, trying his best to think of something to say. Luckily, the kid just settled back down in his pile of papers after a few seconds, leaving Cor to stare down at the page of applicants. The words were swimming around the page. What would the kid know about dads, anyway? He looked back at Prompto, who was happily colouring an entire page with a pencil. Cor hoped that for however long he had Prompto with him, he did a good job of showing him.


	6. Chapter Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’m assuming you don’t know about the Council’s talks?” Cor narrowed his eyes, waiting for him to continue. “Oh, now you want to listen.”
> 
> “Enough, Virilius.” He put himself between Virilius and Prompto. “Spit it out already. I’m tired and I have to be down at the training centre in ten minutes to see a demonstration.” Virilius sneered and Cor hated himself for giving the snake what he wanted.
> 
> “Of course. Whatever you’d like, Marshall. The Council ruled earlier this morning that the boy is to be taken in for questioning later this week, as well as to be put into the custody of the Crown.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, I'm pretty much wingin' this. I kinda wanna take this like, the whole way. The whole mcfreakin' enchilada. Infinity and beyond. That's how much I love Papa Cor.

They spent the rest of the afternoon in meetings, Prompto happily colouring with his one dinky pencil (‘Colouring books, crayons, markers,’ Cor added to his list.) and most people that Cor had his meetings with casually glancing at him the whole time. They were polite, but it was the politeness that Cor was used to. It was common knowledge both what Cor could do with a katana, and that his katana was only ever an urge away. As a result, people were very, very kind to him in his presence.

In between his second and third meetings, he handed Prompto the celery and ranch from the fridge.

“You want a snack?” Prompto hummed and took it.

“What is it?” He asked, squinting at the package. Cor responded by dipping a celery stick in the ranch and eating it. “Okay.” Prompto chirped. He returned to drawing. He had given up colouring the entire page with pencil and moved on to drawing things after Cor had shown him how. Next to Cor’s horrible rendition of Prompto, there were now slightly more admissible versions of Clarus, Gladiolus, and Prompto had begun work on Noctis.

“Do you want to hang out with Noctis some more tonight?” Cor asked him.

“Sure,” Prompto replied. “He’s cool.” Cor grinned at the slang. Maybe he could make a case for them hanging out as a group more often.

 “Alright. I’ll see what the boys are doing after dinner.” He shot texts to Regis’ personal number and Clarus, as well as emailing Ignis’ uncle. They didn’t really know each other well, but they had spoken once or twice for work-related reasons. Clarus texted back within moments.

 **After Gladiolus finishes his homework and chores, he’s allowed. Meet at the palace?** Cor replied and told him he’d let him know after Regis answered.

Regis answered while he was in his meeting with a Council member discussing the upcoming budget renegotiations for the Kingsglaive in the following year.

  **Absolutely! Did they get along at lunch?** Cor took a moment to answer the text, then continued with the budget.

 **seemed like it. noctis might have a question or two when he gets home from school.** Cor checked the clock above his door. It was almost two-thirty, meaning that the kids would be getting out of school any minute. His computer silently brought up a notification of an email from Ignis’ uncle and Cor only just tamped down on the urge to open it.

“I’m sorry, am I keeping you?” The Councilman sneered. His name was Alphonse Virilius, and while he wasn’t the only Councilman pulling for Cor’s untimely demise, he was sure a vocal one.

“I’m a busy guy,” Cor said blandly. The less he engaged, the less time he spent talking to the smarmy bastard.

“I see.” Virilius’ eyes slid to where Prompto was chomping on celery. “So they’re allowing the boy to stay with you,”

“Let’s keep on task, here. I’m sure you’ve got plenty on your plate.” Cor said drily, but Virilius would not be distracted.

“Do the rest of the Council really think you’re qualified to keep a child?” He scoffed. Cor narrowed his eyes at him.

“Speaking on the stipend raise,” Cor began, opening the next file folder. Virilius placed a hand on the folder.

“What, you don’t have time for a little small talk?” Virilius sneered again. Cor wanted to tell him that nothing about him was small, from his ego to his mouth, to his sense of self-importance. Instead, what he said was:

“I’ve got an interview with a new instructor for the ‘Glaves at three o’clock.” Virilius rolled his eyes with an exaggerated sigh.

“I suppose you _do_ have to keep your nose to the grindstone nowadays. It’s good to see you finally show some work ethic.” Cor rolled his eyes and snapped open the file folder. A quick glance to the side showed that Prompto, while still munching on the celery, had sat back and was watching Virilious through narrowed eyes. They finally discussed giving the ‘Glaives a higher per diem and Virilious was free to go, but he lingered in the doorway.

“See you later,” Cor said forcefully, standing and attempting to see him out.

“So how has he been, anyway? The boy?” Virilius asked in a mock hushed whisper.

“His name is Prompto and he’s fine.” Cor bit out, holding the door open.

“Oh, you named him. How charming,” Virilius said with a small smirk. “I’m assuming you don’t know about the Council’s talks?” Cor narrowed his eyes, waiting for him to continue. “Oh, _now_ you want to listen.”

“Enough, Virilius.” He put himself between Virilius and Prompto. “Spit it out already. I’m tired and I have to be down at the training centre in ten minutes to see a demonstration.” Virilius sneered and Cor hated himself for giving the snake what he wanted.

“Of course. Whatever you’d like, Marshall. The Council ruled earlier this morning that the boy is to be taken in for questioning later this week, as well as to be put into the custody of the Crown.” He sniffed.

“He _is_ in custody of the Crown.” Cor growled.

“Not quite. I suppose you haven’t gotten the memo yet. Oh well. If you have any questions, you’ll know where to find me.” With that, he left. Cor took a deep breath and shut the door. Prompto was holding a stalk of celery and glaring at the space where Virilius once stood. There was ranch dripping on the floor.

“Cor,” Prompto said, sweetly, despite the nasty look he still wore.

“What’s up, buddy?” Cor asked, sticking the fruit snacks in his jacket pocket and digging out a notebook for Prompto to scribble in at the training grounds.

“I don’t like him very much. I don’t want him to hang out anymore.” Cor barked a laugh and swiped at the ranch on the floor in front of Prompto, who remembered he was holding a stalk of celery and bit into it.

“Me neither, Prom, but sometimes, you have to do stuff you don’t like at work.” Prompto frowned at him.

“Then I don’t want to work.” He said, putting his garbage from his celery snack in the garbage. “I drew Clar—Uncle Clarus.” Prompto amended, holding the picture of Clarus out to Cor.

“You don’t have to call him anything you don’t want to. I know the Prince can be pretty pushy,” Cor said, chuckling as he took the picture. “Do you wanna give this to him?” Prompto thought about it for a moment before nodding. “Great. We’re gonna see him in a few minutes. Ready to go?”

They traipsed down to the training grounds, Prompto choosing the colour of tile they walked on. Cor wondered when he’d get tired of this game, but obliged him nonetheless. Prompto held the drawing of Clarus to his chest and gave Cor wide eyes when he saw the intended recipient.

“Go ahead,” Cor said, smiling at Prompto. Prompto came up behind Clarus and tugged on his shirt.

“Hey, buddy. What’s up?” Clarus crouched and Prompto stuck out the drawing, face red. Clarus took the picture and smiled. “Did you draw this?” Prompto nodded. “It’s really good! Thank you!” Cor put a hand on Prompto’s back.

“When somebody says something nice, you say thank you to them. When somebody says thank you to you, you say you’re welcome.” He informed him.

“You’re welcome,” Prompto squeaked. Clarus chuckled and stood back up, holding the picture.

“So who are we looking at today?” Cor asked Clarus. Prompto tugged on Cor’s shirt and he picked him up.  

“We’re looking to get into training a few of the recruits in firearms. The Niffs have the advantage on us in that aspect, and while warping helps, it’s impossible to keep the casualties down when they can shoot at us,” Clarus said, dropping into work mode. Prompto wrapped his legs around Cor’s midsection and watched curiously as the ‘Glaives set up a demonstration. “We’ve got a few of the top marksmen that we could find, and we’re going to go into talks to hiring some of ‘em for teaching.”

“Great. I remember reading a few of their applications,” Cor murmured. Prompto tucked his face into the crook of Cor’s neck and fiddled with the tie that Cor let him wear. “But I’ve been distracted.” He chuckled and Clarus smiled.

“No worries. We’re a team.” He replied. “Let’s get settled with Regis and get Prom some ear protection.”

They made their way to the side of the arena where Regis sat with some ‘Glaives and a few Council members. Cor’s eyes flicked from member to member, assessing their levels of needing their asses kicked, and was happy to report that all but one appeared to be neutral towards Cor. He wondered how much Regis had to do with that. Prompto peeked at Regis and his face turned red when Regis waved at him.

“Hello, Prompto,” Regis said warmly. “I hear you’ve made friends with my son,” Prompto nodded bashfully into Cor’s collar. “He’d like to see you this evening if you’re amicable.” Prompto nodded again and Cor chuckled at how tightly the child was gripping his tie.

“You weren’t this shy when you kicked me in the jaw,” Cor murmured into Prompto’s ear, earning a roar of laughter from Clarus. Prompto smiled at Clarus’s booming laugh and even managed a small giggle himself.

A few moments of small talk later and the presentations were ready. Cor sat with a still-blushing Prompto on his lap next to Clarus. Prompto was sitting crisscross-applesauce with the notebook on his lap and slightly too-large headphones on his head that he constantly had to push back. Cor chuckled at the deadly focus Prompto had on the paper as he tried to capture Regis’ likeness.

“We’ll get started soon,” Said the ‘Glaive in charge of the program, Amara. If Cor remembered correctly, this presentation hoped to angle her for a promotion. As Prompto stuck his tongue out in consternation as he tried to draw Regis’ hair, Cor thought about how much more amicable he was to that prospect nowadays. “We’re going to start with some firearm demonstrations, and then move on to some unconventional projectiles we could work with.” A man stepped up to the line sprayed into the grass. “Colin Desmond is here to show us his pistol experience. He is one of four pistol experts here today,” Prompto looked up from his drawing and his eyes went wide when he saw the man’s pistol.

“Are we training today?” He whisper-yelled to Cor.

“No, buddy. We’re trying to pick some teachers to train our troops.” He said simply. Prompto squinted and nodded as he watched the man take his shooting stance.

“He’s holding it wrong,” Prompto supplied nonchalantly. Cor frowned at him as he went back to colouring in Regis’ clothes.

“And you would know because…?” He asked, drawing out the last syllable. Clarus was looking over in concern now as well. Prompto looked back at Cor with a scrunched up nose.

“We started training for those a long time ago, Cor. I’m not a baby,” He scoffed, just like Noctis had earlier that day at Gladiolus. Cor wondered what kind of shit the Niffs had put this kid through as Desmond lined up his shots. “He’s gonna miss the middle.” Prompto taunted with a little laugh.

“Shh, buddy.” Cor finally murmured, a cold hand clawing at his gut.

Prompto had been right. The man may have been the best in Leide, but he wasn’t without fault. Prompto’s assessment of each of the following three gunmen had been spot on as well. Clarus was sitting with his arms crossed and his jaw clenched as Prompto bragged that his marks with pistols had been higher than anyone else on his training level, and almost as high as those three levels above.

“What else did they train you in, Prom?” Cor asked, hoping he sounded casual enough that he would answer the question.

“Lotsa stuff,” Prompto replied with a shrug. Clarus reached out and fixed his headphones for him with a deep wrinkle between his eyebrows. “Wanna see?” Prompto asked after a long moment. That even caught Regis’ attention.

“Maybe a little later, okay buddy? Now, why don’t you finish your drawing of Uncle Regis?” Clarus asked, voice tight. Cor felt his blood pressure rise as he practically watched his afternoon schedule clearing, judging by the look on Regis’ face. Prompto hummed his agreement and offered sporadic comments on the form of each of the marksmen for the duration of the program.

Amara closed the program, and Regis called a meeting with the Council, Cor, and Clarus later the next day to discuss the results. It’d be up to Cor to make the final judgements, as the Marshall, but he couldn’t keep his mind focused. It was easy to separate the kid who kicked him in the teeth from the Prompto he knew when he was sitting on the floor of his office drawing. That Prompto wanted to ‘hang out’ with the Prince and learn how to ride a skateboard and liked metal music and jumping from tile to tile. The child that sat before him, watching the program intently and judging the applicants better than most of the adults on the council could seemed to be a different boy entirely.

“Cor, Prompto,” Regis greeted. “A word in my office?” Here it comes, Cor couldn’t help but think as they followed Regis to his office, Clarus behind them. Prompto shook his hand impatiently, a silent urge to stick to the white tiles. He automatically fell into step with the boy, much to Clarus’ amusement.

“You spoil him,” Clarus ribbed, lengthening his stride to walk beside Cor. Regis cast a grim glance over his shoulder.

“Good,” He replied darkly, as he pushed the door open to his office. He left his ‘Glaives at the door. Cor took his usual seat and Prompto climbed up into his lap automatically. “Prompto, I believe we have some things to discuss,” Regis said carefully. “You’re not in any trouble, as long as you tell us what you can, alright?” Prompto looked up from his drawing, eyes narrowing in suspicion.

“Alright.” He echoed, putting down the notebook and curling into Cor. Regis collected himself for a moment.

“You said that you were a very good shot. Good for you,” He praised gently. Prompto’s face reddened and he smiled, looking at Cor. Cor nodded encouragingly, he hoped, past the tightening in his chest. “How did you say you learned?”

“They taught me,” Prompto said simply. “When I was littler.” Regis nodded slowly, waiting to see if Prompto would go on. “They taught all of us, but the other ones aren’t experiments.”

“And you are an experiment?” Regis asked, frowning deeply. Prompto nodded.

“That’s what they said.” A wrinkle deepened in Regis’ forehead.

“What does that mean?” Prompto screwed up his face and shrugged, so Regis changed his tactic. “How did you know you were an experiment?”

"That's what they called me,” Cor got a flashback to Prompto sitting in the back of his car, tears in his eyes, asking if he’d be allowed to be called a name. “The other ones got ranks.”

“What’s that?” Cor asked softly.

“Their rank,” Prompto replied, frowning and shaking his head. Regis sat quietly for a moment.

“They experimented on you?” He asked softly, concern in his eyes. Prompto shivered against the hand Cor had on his back. “What was that like?” The silence stretched for a few heartbeats, thick and viscous as the kid tried to find the words to describe what he went through.

“They hurt.” He rasped, voice breaking. “I don’t like them.”

“Neither do we,” Cor said, chest aching. Prompto nodded and burrowed into Cor’s shirt. Cor could hear Clarus grinding his teeth from across the room.

“That’s all my questions, for now, Prompto. You did well,” Regis said hoarsely. Clarus stood and cleared his throat.

“Wanna show us how good you are at shooting?” He asked, frown evident on his face. Cor shot him a dirty, surprised look, but Regis watched Clarus with interest. Prompto looked up from Cor’s midsection and gave Clarus a calculating look.

“Okay,” Prompto finally replied, eyes narrowed in suspicion. “For work?” He asked, sitting up and sliding down from Cor’s lap.

“What do you mean, buddy?” Cor asked.

“Sometimes, you have to do stuff you don’t like for work.” He parroted Cor’s words back to him. Cor blinked at him in surprise.

“Yeah. This is for work.” Clarus looked at him in confusion. The determined set of Prompto’s jaw made him smile. “I bet if we taught you more words, you’d be all kinds of trouble,” Cor said warmly and mussed Prompto’s hair.

“I’m not trouble,” Prompto denied petulantly. “I’m Prompto.”

 

***

 

They went back down to the training arena. Amara was still packing up and was easily swayed to take an hour-long break with Cor asking, Regis and Clarus standing behind him.

“Okay, bud. You sure you know how to do this?” Cor asked nervously. He was wondering what Astral was using him as his punching bag today that he was handing a six-year-old child a handgun.

“Yeah-huh,” Prompto said brightly as he bounced on the balls of his feet behind the line. With a glance, Cor ascertained that his companions were just as uncomfortable with this as he was, but he figured it was better that Prompto showed them here, rather than in front of an audience. Clarus handed him the gun with the safety on and stood between Prompto and Regis, jaw ticking. Prompto flipped the safety off, proving that he at least knew that much about the weapon.

“Whenever you’re ready,” Cor breathed, crouched behind him. Prompto dropped into a fighting stance, and three shots rang out. The three older men were frozen for a moment before Clarus held his hand out for the gun. Prompto, with a brilliant smile, flipped the safety back on and gave it to him without a hint of hesitation.

“There’s only one hole,” Clarus said after a moment. Cor stood and walked to the target, pulling it from the backstop. Lodged in the centre were three bullets.

“He only needed the one.” Cor replied grimly. They looked wearily at Prompto, who had returned to bouncing on his feet and humming a song he’d heard that morning. “What else did they teach you?” He asked him directly, and Prompto faltered mid-bounce.

“They made us fight,” he replied.

“Fight how?” Cor asked, walking back to the line. Prompto shoved his hands in his pockets, the very mirror image of Cor in the moment.

“Fight like you ordered me not to,” He replied.

“Would you show us?” Clarus asked. Prompto giggled.

“You’re too big,” He said, looking from Cor to Clarus to Regis. “You would win!” Cor took off his tie and rolled up his sleeves.

“Well, try.” He said firmly. Prompto squinted and took off his tie, giving it to a silent Clarus. Prompto shuffled over to where Cor stood. “Ready?” Prompto nodded after a moment’s hesitation.

“Ready.” The kid dropped into a fighting stance, bringing his hands up in front of his face, held in loose fists. He cautiously took a step, edging Cor to the right. Cor allowed him to edge closer before stepping away. The kid’s eyes flicked to Cor’s left knee and after a beat, he lunged. To Cor’s shock, he lunged for his right leg. Cor thought he had read Prompto’s tell properly and ended up with a small fist in his right tendon behind his knee, dropping like a stone. Prompto wrapped himself around Cor’s neck, locking his legs and tugging at his short hair with tiny fingers. Cor easily dislodged him, because no amount of technique and feinting changed the fact that the kid was six, but he was shaken. Prompto stood and looked confusedly at Cor, but didn’t say anything.

“Wanna go again?” Cor asked, and Prompto nodded, grinning a little. He dropped into the same stance as before and Cor followed. This time, Cor wouldn’t underestimate him. They circled left, and Prompto seemed to be waiting for Cor to make a move. After a few moments of Cor circling and Prompto watching him with unsettlingly perceptive eyes, Cor lunged and Prompto stepped quickly out of the way. A sharp jab met Cor’s ribs, a flash of pain surprising him. Cor took a step back and Prompto began to lead the circling to the right. Cor lunged again, growing impatient, and Prompto danced backwards and out of his grasp. “You’re fast,” He huffed, grinning.

“I’m Prompto,” He insisted, beginning to get annoyed. Cor just went and named him yesterday, and now he’s going and calling him other stuff? Typical. Cor lunged again, snatching Prompto up by his waist.

“You’re good and fast, but you’re still six,” Cor chuckled. Anger, unbridled and all fire, flashed across Prompto’s face at being had, and in an instant, Prompto had sunk his teeth into Cor’s arm. “Hey!” He shouted, dropping the kid on instinct. “No biting!” Clarus howled with laughter, slapping his thigh.

“You’re like seven times his size, Cor. Of course he’s gonna fight dirty,” He snarked, crossing his arms.

“ _He’s six_ ,” Cor hissed, rubbing at his arm. There were tooth marks! “Aren’t six-year-olds supposed to be collecting bugs and playing video games?”

“Not my kid,” Clarus replied. Prompto couldn’t decide if he was in trouble or not.

“Nor mine,” Regis said heavily. Cor crossed his arms in front of him with a frown. The three older men were quiet for a moment. “Let’s get them together, shall we?”

“Do you think that’s a good idea? Now that we know…” Cor trailed off. They looked to Prompto for a few moments. He felt like he was back on the training floor again, being watched by scientists to see if their experiments stuck. “You don’t think the Council was right, do you?” He asked quietly. He couldn’t quite tamp down on the shake of his voice. Clarus considered Prompto for a few more seconds.

“We won’t let them be alone, but he hasn’t given us any reason to believe we should be concerned. What do you think, Regis?” Regis nodded.

“We’re going to have to appoint you a ‘Glaive, Cor.” He said softly. Cor nodded his understanding before looking to Regis.

“They’re not going to take him, are they?” He asked, frowning through the hand tremors. Regis watched him carefully.

“They wanted to,” Regis confirmed. “But we got what we needed here.” Cor nodded a few times. Prompto’s gaze darted from man to man and Clarus saw him tug at his shirt in worry.

“Hey, buddy. You ready to hang out with the other kids?” Clarus asked him softly. Prompto nodded. “You’re not in trouble, okay?” Cor crouched next to Prompto.

“Can you follow an order from me?” He asked and Prompto frowned but nodded. “Can you promise me you’ll never fight anybody unless I say so?” Prompto agreed but still looked at Cor with a deep confusion.

“Unless you say so,” Prompto echoed.

“Okay. Shake on it?” Cor asked, sticking out his right hand. Prompto, having watched Cor do this same thing to people after his meetings today, took his hand and allowed his arm to be pumped up and down a few times by Cor. He wasn’t sure what that was supposed to do, but he was sure Cor knew what he was doing. “Alright, buddy. Time to hang out with the kids.”

Clarus went to pick up Iris and Gladiolus while Regis, Cor, and Prompto went to meet Noctis and Ignis.

“Where are we going?” Prompto asked curiously after he was absolutely certain he wasn’t in trouble.

“To Uncle Regis and Noctis’ house,” Regis raised his eyebrow at what Cor had called him but didn’t contest it. Cor and Regis had plenty to talk about, and he figured it’d work itself out very soon.

“You live at work?” Prompto asked incredulously. This earned him a chuckle from Regis.

“No. Cor works at my house,” He said, watching as Cor and Prompto stepped on the black tiles leading to Noctis’ room. Prompto accepted the answer with a hum.

“Cor’s house is a lot smaller.” He stated, looking at Cor. Cor laughed.

“Sure is,” He agreed and Prompto smiled. They knocked on Noctis’ bedroom door and waited for Noctis to call for them to enter before they went in. He was sprawled out on the floor with a very frustrated Ignis, papers and books surrounding the both of them.

“Dad!” Noctis crowed, jumping up from the jumble of homework. Ignis sighed deeply as a book he had been copying from skittered away after being kicked by Noctis’ socked foot. “Uncle Cor, you brought Prompto!” He cheered after being released from Regis’ embrace. “Dad, can you believe that Prompto doesn’t have to do homework?” Noctis said brightly, grabbing Prompto’s shoulder and Regis chuckled.

“Well, we hope to change that soon enough,” Regis promised, and Noctis beamed.

“Dad, can Prompto come to school with me? Will he be in my grade? Can we ride together?” Noctis asked, rapid fire. He was shaking a mildly taken-aback Prompto with every question.

“Stop shakin’ the kid,” Cor chided. “You’re gonna scramble him,”

“He looks scrambled enough as it is,” Ignis said drily from where he stood and walked over.

“He’s not scrambled,” Noctis whined. “He’s our cous—Dad!” He interrupted himself with a surprised face. “Can Prompto be my cousin? Can Iggy be my cousin?” He realized that he had forgotten to ask.

“Oh, boy,” Cor chuckled, remembering Noctis’ quest from lunchtime.

“Noctis,” Regis began, confusion pulling his eyebrows close. “What?” Noctis took a deep breath.

“There are these girls in my class and they call each other’s parents ‘uncle’ and ‘aunt’ and if you’re my dad and Uncle Cor is Prompto’s dad and Iggy’s uncle Roland is his dad and Uncle Clarus is Gladio’s dad and I call Uncle Cor and Uncle Clarus and Uncle Roland, Uncle Cor and Uncle Clarus and Uncle Roland, and if Prompto calls you Uncle Regis and Uncle Clarus, Uncle Clarus and Uncle Roland, Uncle Roland,” He gasped for breath and smacked his hands on his head in frustration. “Anyway, we would be cousins!” Regis blinked owlishly at his kid before Cor broke the silence with laughter.

“He’ll grow up to be a skilled orator,” Cor wheezed and Regis glared at him before turning back to Noctis.

“Prompto, Ignis, and Gladiolus may call me whatever they wish,” He finally said, shaking his head. Noctis jumped up and crowed, shaking Prompto again.

“Do you hear that? We’re cousins!” He shouted, then looked over Regis’ shoulder. “Gladio, we’re allowed to be cousins!” He ran over to the group that was just walking in the door.

“We are?!” Gladio exclaimed excitedly, before realizing he was showing an uncool amount of enthusiasm. “Uh, I mean, whatever.” Clarus chuckled and juggled a diaper bag, a baby carrier containing a sleeping Iris, and his car keys.

“I see Noctis hit you with his theory,” He said to Regis.

“A sound theory,” Regis replied, raising his eyebrows and nodding sagely. Noctis tangled his hand with Prompto’s and tried to make a break for it. “Not so fast! Are you finished with your homework?” Noctis groaned and stopped in his tracks.

“Not hardly,” Ignis scoffed playfully.

“Traitor,” Noctis hissed. Gladio went over to Prompto.

“Wanna play with the princess’ toys ‘til he gets done?” Prompto nodded, feeling a bit overwhelmed, and followed Gladiolus to the other side of the room, much to Noctis’ dismay. The adults settled into the small sitting area in the other corner, keeping a watchful eye on the four boys. Gladiolus endeavoured to try and explain action figures to Prompto, but eventually, he gave up and just started trying to build a set of blocks meant to look like a zoo.

“So what did you do today, since you don’t have school?” Gladiolus asked curiously. Despite his attempts at trying to look tough, he really did want to make friends with the little blonde boy.

“I showed Cor and Uncle Regis and Uncle Clarus what I can do,” He said casually, inspecting a block version of a coeurl. Gladiolus squinted at Prompto.

“And uh… what’s that?” He asked, holding his hand out for the coeurl. Prompto handed it over with a small shake of his head.

“Cor gave me an order not to do it.” He said resolutely. “We shook on it.” Gladiolus sat up straighter and looked around in mild confusion.

“He gave you an order?” Prompto nodded. “Wow. That’s pretty harsh. Even _my_ dad isn’t that bad.” Prompto squinted.

“Do dads not give orders?” He asked, voice squeaking.

“No, dude. I mean, to other people. But not us.” Prompto nodded and frowned.

“He said that he wouldn’t be a good dad.” He said quietly. Gladiolus didn’t know what to do with that, other than it made Prompto look incredibly distraught.

“Well, if you think he’s a good dad then it’s whatever, I guess.” Gladiolus shrugged. After a pause, Gladiolus squinted at him. “So, he is your dad, right?” Prompto shrugged. Gladiolus looked at him suspiciously for a few seconds. “You’re kinda weird.” Prompto frowned and sighed.

“I’m Prompto.” He insisted flatly. “Not weird, not fast, not a punk. Prompto.” Gladiolus blinked a few times before picking up a block Anak and putting it in its pen.

“Okay, definitely weird.” He muttered, and Prompto smacked his face.

“Whatever,” He echoed Gladiolus earlier. Gladiolus frowned at the idea of making him upset and changed the subject.

“Wanna race?” That perked Prompto up marginally. “First one to Noct’s bed wins!” They launched themselves across the room, laughing loudly as Prompto almost immediately took the lead. Gladiolus, unused to anyone being quicker, put on a burst of speed, but it was too late. Prompto threw himself onto the bed and bounced a few times, hair snarling behind him.

“I win!” He crowed, looking at Cor. “Look, I won!” Cor frowned.

“Stop jumping on the bed,” He insisted. “You’ll bust your face open,” Prompto plopped to the bed, still grinning. “Good job on the race,” Cor added, unable to resist the happiness radiating from the kid.

“Look out, Gladiolus,” Clarus chuckled. “Prompto’s quick,” Before Prompto could object, Gladiolus hopped up onto the bed next to him.

“Nuh-uh, Dad. He says he’s just Prompto.” Gladiolus insisted. Cor snorted and shook his head, picking his battles.

“He’s not wrong,” He added wryly, to Clarus’ annoyance.

“Am I done now?” Noctis whined, holding up his math homework. Ignis nodded.

“Yes. I’m done as well,” He declared, picking up his books and putting them in his backpack. Noctis shouted, leaving his things on the floor, and sprinted to his bed. Ignis put away Noctis’ homework with a sigh before joining the other four boys.

“Do you wanna ride bikes? Or play warriors? Or read comics? Or watch movies?” Noctis rattled off a list of things that they could do and Prompto’s head spun.

“Calm down, Noctis.” Ignis chided lightly. “You’re not taking it easy on him, and Cor said to.”

“Oh. Right,” Noctis remembered sheepishly. “Sorry.” The boys sat in uncomfortable silence for a few minutes before Noctis tugged on a piece of Prompto’s hair. “How come your hair’s long like a girl’s? You’re a boy, right?”

“Uh, yeah.” Prompto recalled Clarus referring to him as ‘the boy’ at least one time.

“Then how come your hair’s so long?” Gladiolus chimed in. Prompto shrugged, not fully understanding the question. “Don’t you want to tie it back?” Prompto shrugged again. “Look, hold on. Dad!” Clarus ran over to the group of men. “Can I have your hair tie?”

“Sure, buddy,” Clarus replied, absently slipping it off his wrist and handing it to Gladiolus. He ran back to Noctis’ bed.

“Okay, so my mom taught me this when we found out Iris was coming,” Gladiolus said. Prompto couldn’t puzzle out why his face looked so sad, but Noctis patted him on the back and he looked less sad. “Turn around.” Prompto did as he was told and sat facing Ignis. Gladiolus began to tease the snarls out of Prompto’s hair and he winced.

“I’ll get a brush,” Ignis offered, seeing Prompto’s face.

“Good thinkin’, Iggy,” Gladiolus muttered. “Your hair’s so tangly,” Gladiolus complained. Ignis returned with the brush and Gladiolus engaged in mortal combat with Prompto’s hair, much to his dismay. Noctis chuckled at him.

“And you think I’m a baby,” He goaded Gladiolus. He frowned at the Prince.

“Yeah, well you don’t have super long hair to brush. Bet you’d whine too.” Noctis rolled his eyes and watched as Gladiolus began to braid Prompto’s hair.

“I didn’t know you knew how to plait,” Ignis said incredulously.

“I told you, I learned with Mom for Iris,” Gladiolus replied with a shy smile. “It’s not as good as my mom’s, Prompto, but it should keep it from getting tangled if you want to keep it long. I just cut mine. It’s too annoying and curly long.”

“I like your hair long,” Noctis said offhandedly. “It’s cool. Mine’s boring.”

“It’s not boring,” Prompto objected as Gladiolus wrapped the hair tie around the bottom of the braid. Noctis blinked at him, and not wanting to repeat ‘It’s cool,’ back to Prompto, he shrugged at the Prince.

“Thanks,” Noctis said finally, a blush creeping across his face.

“You’re welcome,” Prompto said brightly, remembering what Cor had told him earlier. “Wanna race?” He asked the three boys. They looked at each other for a moment before breaking out into grins and bursting across the room as one screaming pack.

“You gotta keep up!” Prompto jeered, from the front of the pack.

“Wait up!” Noctis cried, just in front of Ignis.

“That defeats the purpose of a race,” Gladiolus scoffed. They shot around the room as the adults watched from the couches.

“If you could bottle that energy and drink it, we’d all have heart attacks,” Clarus said fondly. Cor chuckled.

“We’re gonna have to take them outside soon. They’re gonna wreck the joint,” He replied. Regis smiled softly.

“Oh, I don’t mind.” He said, leaning back in the chair and massaging his knee. He’d have to wear the brace soon. He could feel it. “I’m just glad to see Noctis being a kid.” A shout of ‘No fair!’ tore itself from Noctis’ body as Gladiolus insisted that Noctis knew what he was getting into, racing a kid named ‘Prompto’. Cor watched Prompto, hair braided down his back, puff up with pride at winning the race. Ignis settled things by suggesting they play a board game that Noctis was good at, placating the prince for now.

“Yeah. Me too.” Cor agreed. “Me too.”


	7. Chapter Seven

Cor squeezed his leg gently and grimaced at the pins and needles that flooded his veins, clear to his toes. He wanted nothing more than to kick his leg out and shake down the sensation, but even the thought caused Prompto to snuffle in his sleep. Clarus chuckled over the head of a sleeping Gladiolus.

“He got you pinned good,” He teased. “Reggie is the only one that’s gonna make it out alive,” Regis chuckled from the couch, where Noctis was splayed, arms and legs akimbo, across his lap, with Ignis leaning against his shoulder.

“Noctis is quite a bit heavier than he looks,” Regis whispered, the arm not around Ignis latched around Noctis’ middle to keep him from tumbling to the floor. “He falls asleep and loses all of his _bones,_ ” Regis bemoaned, causing Cor to stifle laughter and Clarus to shake silently. Gladiolus muzzily opened his eyes at his father’s tremors and looked around.

“Oh,” He said, smacking his lips. “I forgot we were at Noct’s house,”

“It’s about time for a bunch of boys to get some sleep, anyway. Can’t carry both you and Iris,” Clarus grunted and Gladiolus clambered off his lap. Gladiolus eyed Prompto, who slept curled tightly around the tie he had put back on after his display earlier in the evening.

“Uncle Cor?” He asked, crossing his arms and kicking his feet. “Prompto’s gonna be okay, right?” Cor furrowed his eyebrows and tilted his head at the child.

“What makes you ask that?” He asked gently. Gladiolus’ face coloured a bit and he chewed on his lower lip before he answered.

“When I was fixing his hair, I could see down the back of his shirt.” He finally said quietly. Cor’s chest tightened at the deep-seated worry on Gladiolus’ face. “And I was just… He’s my little cousin now, right?” Gladiolus finally settled on and made Cor wonder how such a young face could look so grown. “Gotta look out for him.” He raised his chin in a way Cor had seen a thousand times on the man just behind the boy.

“If I have anything to do with it,” Cor began, quietly. “Then nobody’s gonna do that to him again.” Cor swore, and the fire in Gladiolus’ eyes seemed to be tamed a few degrees. Clarus, face impassive, began to pack up his baby bag.

“Alright, buddy. It’s about bedtime,” He announced, voice taut like a guitar string. Cor stole a glance at Regis, who looked his age and then some. Ignis was sitting, stock still, eyes barely open and breath metered. Cor wondered how long he’d been awake. When Cor met his eyes briefly, he had the grace to blush, but didn’t stop pretending to be asleep until Clarus had whispered his farewells.

“He’s not actually our cousin, is he?” Ignis asked the still of the room. Regis blinked down at him as he sat up. Cor frowned.

“No, buddy. But you guys knew that.” He replied. Ignis frowned.

“Yes, of course,” He allowed. “But can we pretend?” He asked, timidly. “At least, for Noct?” The boy in question shifted slightly, and all eyes in the room watched carefully until he was back to sleeping peacefully. Regis and Cor considered each other for a few moments.

“I think your uncle would like for you to be back in your wing,” Regis said gently. Ignis’ face fell, the knowledge that Regis was dodging the question burning bright behind eyes that knew more than they should.

“I’ll walk you back, Ignis,” Cor offered and Ignis hopped down from the couch. Regis scooped Noctis up in his arms and begun the task of carrying him to the bed as Cor saw himself and the two boys out.

“Uncle Cor?” Ignis asked, after a few of their steps echoed down the empty hall. Cor hummed, and Ignis continued. “I know that I’m supposed to look after Noct, but how can I help Prompto, too? Is he going to school soon?” Ignis asked innocently.

“I don’t know if he’ll be able to go to school this year,” Cor answered honestly. If he was being truthful, he was weary of Ignis. He was never sure what was going on in the kid’s head. He was nine, but Cor thought about what _he_ had known at nine… He shuddered.

“He isn’t well,” Ignis stated. He wasn’t asking. “If you’d like, he can come when I tutor Noct,” Ignis offered. “He’s incredibly bright, and I wouldn’t mind. Noct might actually pay attention,” He said wryly. “Gladio needs help with his math, anyway, and I’m sure Uncle Clarus wouldn’t mind if we were studying together.” Cor couldn’t help but laugh. The kid had single-handedly maneuvered himself to be alone with his newly-minted Uncle Pushover, after asking if Prompto could be their cousin for Noct’s sake and playing Cor’s heartstrings like an expensive violin.

“Ignis, has anyone ever told you that you’re too smart for us?” They stood outside the entrance to the wing in which Ignis’ uncle usually stayed while he worked at the Citadel. Shock played across Ignis’ face for a moment before he crossed his arms and smiled.

“No, Uncle Cor.” Cor ruffled his hair.

“You’re too smart for us, Ignis, and thank the Astrals. Noctis’ gonna need it.” Prompto looked blearily around, roused by the rumble of Cor’s laugh in his chest.

“Oh, hi, Iggy,” Prompto greeted, voice rasping in his throat. “Is this your house?” Ignis regarded Prompto with a small smile.

“Sure,” He replied. “It’s past my bedtime. Goodnight, Prompto. Uncle Cor,” He made a short bow and turned to go into the wing.

“Later, cousin,” Prompto said in a small voice. Ignis raised his hand in recognition and smiling, Prompto tucked his head back into Cor’s neck.

“No, no.” Cor chuckled. “Now that I know you’re awake, you have to walk,” Prompto slid down muzzily and yawned so wide Cor heard his jaw pop. “Do you like playing with them?” Cor asked.

“Yeah,” He hummed. “Gladio told me to ask you if I could go to school.” Prompto stated simply.

“Why’s that?” Cor asked. He made a note to pay more attention to what the kids were scheming while the adults talked shop.

“I’m not good at…” Prompto trailed off, furrowing his brow. He looked at Cor, sleepy frustration written across his face. He gestured between himself and Cor before giving up.

“Talking?” Cor offered, digging his car keys out of his pocket.

“I can _talk_ ,” Prompto replied, shaking his head.

“Explaining things. Knowing how to say stuff.” Cor tried. Prompto nodded.

“Explaining. That’s what Gladio said,” Prompto chirped. “He said school would help. And Ignis said I needed to be soh-shil-aised.” Prompto repeated what Ignis had said, exactly how he had said it. Ignis’ accent rolled off of Prompto’s tongue and Cor looked at him in shock. “I don’t know what that means.”

“Socialised. Means hanging out with other kids your age.” Cor replied. Prompto nodded.

“I wanna be socialised, then.” Prompto said confidently. Cor chuckled as he repeatedly pressed the button on his key fob to find his car.

“Alright. We have a lot of stuff we have to talk about in the morning, so we’ll get you home, get you in the bath, and get you to sleep, and go from there, alright?” Prompto frowned at him, but was silent until Cor had buckled him into the back seat.

“What stuff?” He asked, in a small voice. His face was etched deeply with fear, and Cor gulped.

“Just… Do you want to talk now?” Prompto nodded a few times, rapidly enough to bounce his braid, and Cor sighed. “Okay. I’m gonna get this,” He gestured to his head. “In order first, okay? Two songs on the radio and then we’ll talk?” Prompto gave him a watery smile and nodded. “Okay.”

Cor let him have the music as loud as he wanted it as he organized his mind. He could tell Clarus was unhappy with how tightly the other boys appeared to have bonded with Prompto. It was easy enough to see why: the kid had shown them not even an hour before the playdate how dangerous he could be if he wanted to. Cor could overpower him easily, but if he got his hands on Noct… It was a liability. Prompto was a liability, just like Cor. He looked into the backseat with his rearview mirror at the kid with his eyes shut, listening to the music with his face stretched into a blissful grin. For what felt like the thousandth time since he first clapped eyes on the kid, Cor considered going to be a liability somewhere else. Regis was the one fighting with Cid, not Cor, and Weskham had already offered him a place to stay, no questions asked, if he needed it. He had places to go if he needed to get out quickly. With an ache in his heart, he mentally dressed down his apartment. Nothing in it would cause anyone trouble that was sent to clean up his mess, and the bag that never left the trunk of his car was a weight on his conscience. It would barely cost him anything to make a smaller bag up for Prompto and make for the wall that night.

If he was being honest, he had this plan simmering for years. Just pack up and go. Leave the Council to rot, the reports to be done by someone, anyone, else. Someone who wasn’t such a fuckup. He sat at a stoplight, guilt simmering in his chest. If he went straight, he could make for a department store and the wall and be gone within the hour.

Cars drove by in front of him, intersecting his headlights. Each car held people with their own lives, their own problems. Maybe they were on the run, too. Maybe everybody was on the run from something. He sat, hand hovering over the turn signal. How far could he get before they noticed he was gone?

They wanted to take Prompto and put him in a cell. Prompto, the kid who woke him up when the nightmares started filling him up and leaking out of his ears. Prompto, the kid who couldn’t wait to try any of the terrible shit Cor had tried to cook over the past few days. Prompto, who single-handedly made Cor laugh more genuinely than he had in months. He looked in the rearview mirror again. Prompto was watching back with wide eyes, and Cor felt a jolt as the light turned green.

“You don’t know what ‘two songs’ means, do you?” He grunted. Prompto shrugged. Cor couldn’t teach him that. Cor was a military leader, a strategist. His knowledge of the world consisted of death on the front lines on the battlefield, how to hurt a man until he talked but never died, and how to make some other poor bastard die for his country. He refused to pass that knowledge on to a child seemingly born of sunshine and blue skies. A horn sounded from behind them.

Cor flipped on his turn signal.

“Prompto, I’m not going to lie to you. I don’t know how much longer you and I have together like this.” He said, after shutting off the radio. He watched as fear stole into Prompto’s eyes. “If I had it my way,” Cor began. If he had it his way, what? What would he have, if it went all according to his plan? Did he have a plan, or a pipe dream? “If I had it my way, we’d have forever.” There was a long bout of silence during which he parked his car. He couldn’t bear to shut it off and take Prompto inside quite yet. “You’d go to school, and I’d complain about soccer practice or something…” He trailed off, knowing he was probably losing the poor kid. Cor glared a hole into his steering wheel. “What I’m trying to say, is that you deserve anything I can give you. It’s not a lot right now, actually. You might be better off if I let you go.” His words were choppy. Wasn’t he supposed to be organised? “I want what’s going to help you most, Prompto. I want… What you want, I guess.” He turned in his seat. Prompto had brought his knees up to his chest as was looking at Cor like he was the last lifeboat on a sinking ship.

“I don’t want to go,” Prompto insisted quietly. His hands shook from where they gripped his legs in front of him. “I don’t want to go back, but- but,” He shook his head and screwed up his eyes. Cor felt like he was doused in cold water. Prompto tried to dredge up the words, the sounds to tell Cor that he didn’t want to be ‘the experiment’ again. Panic slammed into Prompto’s chest, knocking the wind out of him like a punch to the sternum. If Cor gave him back, he couldn’t be Prompto anymore. Nobody would ever call him that again. He struggled to get air into his body, and when he finally did, his voice tore out of him louder than he’d ever heard it. “I want to stay Prompto!” The scream set a shock of electricity through Cor’s body, and he scrabbled for the handle to his door and ripped Prompto’s door open in one fluid motion. Prompto’s shoulders shook with sobs. “I want to stay Prompto,” He insisted between hiccoughing wails. Cor unbuckled him and pulled him into his lap.

“Prompto, listen, I’m so sorry,” Cor gasped. “I didn’t mean… I’m so sorry, I’d never send you back there,” Prompto’s breath hitched and his vision swam as he tried to get more air. Cor rubbed circles into the boy’s back, feeling his throat constrict and his eyes prick. “Oh, Shiva, I never meant… I’m so sorry.” The tinny chime that reminded him that his car door was open picked away at his sanity. He wanted to be in the training room, wanted to feel his body ache with overexertion, needed to drop into a dreamless sleep and start this one over.

Only Prompto couldn’t just start this one over. He was having a meltdown, arguably the worst Cor had ever seen. Cor rubbed the kid’s back over and over until his sobbing subsided. The kid needed him here and explaining his little stunt, not fighting his demons under flickering florescent lights.

“I’d never send you back there, Prompto.” Cor began, voice hoarse. “You’d just live someplace else. You’d have your own bed, probably your own bedroom. Probably parents, or at least one parent, I dunno.” Cor paused, taking a shaking breath. “You’d be with somebody who is your dad, or your mom, and they’d be able to give you things that I can’t.” Prompto looked up at Cor and Cor swiped at the snot running down his face automatically.

“You’re not my dad?” He asked, face scrunched. “Noct said—“

“I know what Noct said,” Cor said quietly. “And I oughta kick his little ass,”

“Oh,” Prompto said. “Why aren’t you my dad?” He asked, still not quite comprehending. All of the things that Noct, Iggy, and Gladio had listed were what Cor was doing. What else was he supposed to do? He had watched what the other adults did with the kids that called them ‘dad’. Cor let him sleep on him. Cor gave him snacks. Cor wiped off his face and made him get a bath at night.

“It’s… It’s complicated, kiddo.” Cor sighed. He studied Prompto carefully. “I’m not a good person, Prom. I’ve done lots of things to lots of people, and eventually that’s going to catch up to me.” He explained. “I don’t have the luxury of having a family.” The kid screwed up his face and it hurt Cor’s heart to have to define family. “To get married, have kids, a dog… I don’t know how to explain it to you, Prom.” He admitted.

“I’ll… I’ll take a bath all by myself?” Prompto asked. He sounded like he was bargaining for something and Cor’s stomach lurched. “I’ll brush my teeth.”

“I’m not… You didn’t do anything wrong, Prom. If you go away, it’ll be to help you.” Cor said heavily, and Prompto shook his head.

“You help me.” He said resolutely. “I’m Prompto. _You_ called me that.” He reminded Cor. That’s what did it, looking back. One sentence, in the backseat of a car in a parking lot of the cheapest apartments closest to the Citadel wrote itself on Cor’s bones. _You called me that._ Before he could stop himself, shove it down, collect himself, he had wrapped Prompto close to his chest. His breaths came in staccato gasps as hot tears blazed down his face. _You called me that_. Prompto, never one to turn away a solid chance at human contact, put his arms around Cor’s throat and tucked his head. He didn’t quite understand why it was Cor’s turn to cry, but he could appreciate that maybe sometimes people just had to cry. Cor buried his face in the hair on the side of Prompto’s head, and tried to slow his breathing down to something far more reasonable. _You called me that_.

When Cor’s breaths became longer and deeper, and his eyes were drier and his brain less tangled, he sat back. Prompto studied his face with those big blue eyes of his before frowning slightly. A small, chilly hand reached up and swiped under Cor’s nose before wiping it on his pants, a mirror image of what Cor had done for him moments before.

“Snot.” Prompto declared, pulling a grossed-out face. Cor sat in a stunned silence, trying to decide if he was going to laugh or start crying again.

“Let’s go inside,” Cor finally said. He carried Prompto up the stairs like he liked. “Are you hungry or thirsty?”

“No.” Prompto said, sliding out of Cor’s arms. “Bath-time?” He asked. Cor remembered the kid’s shaky promise in the car, but nodded. No matter what Prompto thought about it, he had to get clean. Prompto climbed out of his clothes without hesitation, unlike before, and left them in a trail on the way to the tub. “No!” Prompto pointed at Cor. “I can do it,”

“Uh, okay.” Cor stammered. Prompto put his hand on the door and Cor exclaimed once, wordlessly. “Door open!” Prompto squinted at him for a moment before seemingly accepting the terms and conditions of bath-time by himself.

Cor sat on his bed, listening intently. He heard the water running for a long while, but no splashing or sloshing, so he assumed it wasn’t all over his floor yet. A small _plunk_ could have signified Prompto getting in, or it could signify him dropping soap into the tub to step on and crack his head—maybe he should go check. He stood and took two quick steps towards the bathroom, but stopped short.

“How’s it coming?” Cor called.

“Okay.” Prompto called. Well, he wasn’t dead. Cor hovered in the middle of his bedroom for a few seconds.

“Can you wash your hair by yourself?” He asked.

“Yes.” Prompto called. There was a short pause, then a small groan. “Do we have to brush it?”

“Yeah, buddy. We gotta brush it.” Cor called, and Prompto made a very Noctis-like noise that made Cor chuckle.

“Can I have it like Noctis?” Prompto finally called.

“Yeah. You can have it like Noctis.” A happy hum followed from Prompto, but he didn’t make any other noise until Cor could hear the slight splash of him rinsing his hair. Cor rested against his dresser and slipped off his shoes and socks, then undid his belt and tie. He sat on the top of the short dresser, a foot from the bathroom door, and scrolled through news on his phone while he listened to Prompto humming and splashing. Cor’s eyes started to droop when he heard the telltale sound of the last of the water going down the drain. “All done, Prom?”

“Yep,” The boy yawned. Cor poked his head in. He had the big bath towel draped over his head and was trying to squeeze some toothpaste onto his toothbrush. Once he got a small dab out and the cap back on, he looked forlornly at the sink. It was too high up. He reached and the towel slipped, causing him to feel the chill of the bathroom air and scowl. Cor watched, curious to see what he’d do. After a moment’s deliberation, he walked to the tub and turned on the water. Cor barked a laugh, almost startling Prompto into dropping the toothbrush altogether.

“You got it,” Cor encouraged. Prompto brushed his teeth methodically before coming out to the bedroom. He went into the bottom drawer that was empty until Cor designated it as his and pulled out new pyjamas and got himself dressed. “I’m gonna shower, okay? You good for a minute?” Prompto nodded as Cor helped him up onto the tall bed.

When Cor stepped back out of the shower, drying up the water that had escaped during Prompto’s bath and disgustedly pulling a sizable length of blonde hair out of the drain, Prompto was already curled up under the covers.

“You awake?” Prompto hummed. Barely. “Light on or off?” He asked gently.

“Off.” Prompto whispered.

“Goodnight, Prompto,” Cor said, watching the moonlight stream in through the window.

“Goodnight, Cor.” He echoed. When Cor laid down, Prompto wriggled closer to him and stuck his tiny cold feet on Cor’s thigh. A too-skinny arm wrapped around his waist and fisted a sizeable chunk of the old tee shirt Cor was wearing, and chilly wet hair miles long wrapped around Cor’s forearm.

Cor never slept better.

 

***

Prompto frowned at Cor’s outfit. He was wearing another collared shirt and tie, nearly identical to yesterday’s uniform, save the Leonis crest on the breast of the shirt.

“Were you a pain in the ass again?” Prompto asked flatly. Cor nearly choked to death on his own spit.

“Don’t say that,” He said, once his airway was clear. “Ass is a swear word. You shouldn’t say them around adults.” Cor explained.

“How come you say it around adults?” Prompto asked, tying his own tie.

“Because I, too, am an adult. I know, unbelievable, but true.” Cor replied drily. Prompto hummed his acceptance.

“Can I have a shirt like that too?” Cor blinked.

“With a collar?” Prompto nodded. “Why?” Prompto looked down at his arms. They bore spindly white lines, tiny pockmarks, and on his right wrist, the barcode. He looked back up at Cor, who understood now why Prompto had his hands stuffed in his pockets so often. Cor glanced at the clock. “How fast can you eat breakfast?”

They made it to the department store just as it opened. Prompto was still munching toast in the back seat.

“Straight to the clothes, Prom,” Cor said, and took Prompto’s hand. They hurried to the back together. “Do you want buttons on the front, or just longer versions of the kind you’re wearing?” Prompto made a nervous face and Cor decided to get one of each. “Colour preference?”

“Black,” Prompto said with a nod. Big surprise. Cor picked up an achingly tiny Henley in black and a miniature button down in black. He found a dark gray tie near the button downs that wouldn’t reach Prompto’s knees and picked it up as well.

“Anything else?” Prompto pointed at a kid’s version of dress pants. “What the heck does a kid need with pinstripe slacks?” He asked himself, grabbing a pair in Prompto’s size. Prompto looked Cor up and down before sticking out his foot.

“Can I have ones like yours?” Cor chuckled.

“Yeah, buddy. Sure.” On their way out, Cor snagged the big pack of crayons and a pad of drawing paper to keep Prompto entertained throughout the day. Prompto’s eyes glistened at the sight of the crayons and Cor grabbed a second pad of paper and hoped it would be enough.

Cor let Prompto change in the car. He did a surprisingly good job at not going ass over teacups in the back seat while Cor did his best to get to work on time. Cor unlocked his office just as his phone was ringing, and he put on a burst of speed to catch it.

“Cor Leonis,” He answered breathlessly.

“It’s me,” Clarus said, a laugh in his voice. “What were you doing, running a marathon?”

“You could say that,” Cor replied, cautious. He wasn’t sure where he and Clarus stood at present.

“Well, can you come on down when you catch your breath? I wanna talk to you.” Cor replied in the affirmative and hung up the phone.

“Alright, buddy. Feelin’ good?” Prompto nodded. “Set down your drawing stuff. We’re gonna go see Uncle Clarus,”

Prompto’s new shoes squeaked as he walked down the hallway. When they reached Clarus’ office, Cor knocked and Prompto squeaked them a few times experimentally.

“Come on in,” Clarus called. Cor opened the door and allowed Prompto to funnel himself in. “Oh, sweet Shiva,” Clarus swore, laughing. “You’re all dressed for work! Look at you! I can’t even get Gladiolus to change his socks!” Cor barked a laugh and Prompto blushed to his hairline.

“What did you want to talk about?” Cor asked. Clarus frowned at Prompto and looked back to Cor. “I can’t just leave him alone, you know that.” Cor added quietly.

“You’re right.” Clarus said after a few moments. Cor sat down, sensing that this was it. This was Clarus, telling Cor that Prompto needed to go. “What are your plans for him, Cor?” He asked quietly.

“Regis… Regis said it would be a few days,” Cor rasped after a few moments. Prompto felt his hair stand up on the back of his neck and tried to busy himself with looking at the photos. “I didn’t think…” So soon. It was so soon. “Where will he be going?” Cor asked, feeling like he’d gargled glass and kerosene.

“Going?” Clarus asked.

“Isn’t he supposed to be going somewhere else?” Cor asked, numb from the neck up. Clarus’ eyebrows knit together.

 “Don’t you want him with you?” Clarus asked, voice held neutral. Cor’s heart thudded painfully between his ribs.

“Of course I do,” Cor gasped. Why wasn’t there enough air? “I’m just… I’m not a father, Clarus.” Cor admitted quietly. “I can’t do to him what my father did to me,” Clarus watched him for a long, painful moment.

“You’re different from your dad.” Clarus said firmly. Excuses, reasons, logic bubbled up from inside of Cor, but Clarus silenced him with a hand. “You’re completely different from your dad, and I know why. Because you want to give more than you got.” Anger played across Clarus’ face. “He looks at you like you hung the moon and you’re not going to fight for him? For what, because you’re scared? Bahamut’s balls, Leonis, there isn’t a father worth a damn alive who isn’t scared shitless. You should be. Kids are scarier than anything Nifleheim can cook up in a lab or on a training ground.” Clarus stood up, and Cor never felt so small, but strangely motivated. So this is what Regis felt like. “Kids’ll break your heart and leave you feeling like you aren’t worth the dirt stuck to your shoes. They’ll keep you up all night, get you sick in ways you’ve never been because they’re all covered in germs, and you will have every item you have ever loved broken and coloured on with markers, and you will wake up every morning thanking the Astrals because it is all worth it for the look in their eyes when they see you.” Cor didn’t have any words.

“I’ll…” He stammered. Words got caught in his throat and he couldn’t unstick his tongue from the roof of his mouth. “The Council?” He finally asked.

“The Council can piss up a rope for all I care,” Clarus barked.

“They want to take him, Clar, they want him locked up.” Cor finally found his voice. “And I don’t want to make Regis stick his neck out again, he’s in enough hot water as it is,”

“We’ll think of something. Are you going to be here for this, Cor?” Amber eyes locked Cor in place.

“I’m here,” He swore. He meant it. “I’m here.”

“Good. I didn’t want to be the one to tell Gladiolus that he’d lost his new cousin,” Mirth danced behind Clarus’ smile. He wasn’t angry, after all. A fraction of the pressure on Cor’s chest released with his next exhale. A small hand gripped Cor’s sleeve and Prompto looked at him, eyebrows pressed together in concern. He didn’t say anything, but climbed directly into Cor’s lap when Cor leant back.

“Will you help me move?” Cor blurted. Clarus gave him a quizzical look. He’d surely be getting asked how he was doing next, but in the moment, he couldn’t care. “I only have the one bedroom.”

“Say the word, brother, and I’m there.” Clarus replied warmly, clapping him on the back. For the first time in a while, Cor could honestly say that there might be some light at the end of the tunnel he was in. A lovely, golden ray of sun.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oops, I had to update the character tags. It just felt right.

After the rest of the kids got home from school that day, they gathered in Noctis’ room again. The adults sat on the couches and chairs while the kids were sprawled out on the carpet near the window.

“Noct, explain your reading homework to Prompto while I help Gladio with his math.” Ignis instructed kindly. “If you explain it, you remember it better!” Noctis grinned at Prompto.

“Wanna go sit in the window seat?” Prompto agreed. He’d go pretty much anywhere, as long as the Prince was leading him. “Okay, so we’re reading a story about a dog right now,” Noctis opened up his reader and found the story they were assigned that week. “And I’m supposed to write down all the places that the boy goes to look for the dog.” Prompto nodded. “Wanna help me find them?”

“Sure!” Prompto scooched closer and took half of the reader onto his lap.

“So it says he looked in the yard,” Noctis wrote a shaky word on a line of his worksheet. Prompto’s forehead pinched. Is that what the picture is supposed to say? It was just outside. What if Noctis had written outside? Would that be bad? So he asks, before Noctis can turn the page.

“How do you know it’s yard? What if it was outside?” Noctis gave him a funny look.

“Uh, you read the story.” He pointed at some stuff to the side of the picture. “It says ‘yard’.” Prompto nodded nervously. He’d asked a bad question, it seems.

“Oh. Right.” Noctis’ eyes flicked over to Ignis, then back to Prompto.

“Give me one second, I have to ask Ignis a question.” He said, giving Prompto a smile. “You can check out the rest of the story if you want,” He left the book on the window seat and went to crouch in front of Gladiolus and Ignis. Prompto felt his back break out in a sweat. He didn’t want everybody else to know what he didn’t know. He didn’t want to get in trouble.

“Iggy,” Noctis whispered. “I don’t think Prompto knows how to read.” Shock flashed across Ignis’ face before he got himself under control. Gladiolus did no such thing and let his jaw hang open.

“Like, not at all?” Gladiolus asked incredulously. “Even if he’s the year younger than you, he should at least know a little,” Noctis nodded.

“I knew a little last year.” He said confidently. “What do we do? Should we tell Uncle Cor?”

“Definitely,” Ignis said quietly. He looked to where the adults seemed to be in serious conversation. “Allow me to take care of this, Noctis. Go back with Prompto and finish your reading homework. I’ll talk to our uncles.” Noctis tripped back to where Prompto sat, looking at the pictures of the story.

“Okay! All better. Ignis fixes everything,” Noctis chirped. “So the next place the boy goes to look for his dog…”

 

***

 

“Iggy, somebody hurt that kid real bad,” Gladiolus said after Noctis was out of earshot. “I wasn’t gonna say anything yesterday because it might scare Noct, but… His whole back is made of scars, and you’ve seen his arms.” Ignis’ eyes darkened.

“If he can’t read and hasn’t been to school, maybe it’s because of whatever gave him those scars.” He finished for Gladiolus. He nodded.

“Exactly.” Gladiolus sat back on his feet. “I’m supposed to start my Shield training after my birthday.” He said, eyebrows drawn.

“That’s six months away, yet,” Ignis said, seeing where Gladiolus was going with this.

“I can ask my dad if I can start early. It’s not like it’ll hurt Noctis any, and it’d help… Prompto’s just real small, you know? At least Noct is a little bit bigger. Knows what to do if something happens.” Gladiolus tugged at the hem of his shirt.

“What if I went with you?” Ignis said, after a small pause.

“What, to training?” Ignis nodded. “I don’t think my dad would mind. He likes you.”

“You wouldn’t have to go alone, and I could help you with Noct. And Prompto.” Gladiolus nodded slowly.

“Does this mean I have to go to Council meetings with you?” Ignis chuckled at the unbridled fear on Gladiolus’ face.

“No. I don’t think they’d let you, anyway. They don’t like it when I’m there as it is,” Ignis scoffed.

“It’s just ‘cos they’re jealous, Iggy,” Gladiolus said. They had gone rounds on this before when Ignis first started accompanying King Regis and his Uncle Roland to Council meetings. The Council were upset that a nine-year-old was commenting on strategies of how to get around trade embargoes due to the war with more sense than a handful of the grown adults in the room.

“I know,” Ignis said, quietly watching as Noctis tried his best to get Prompto to understand the concept of reading. Prompto looked to be under extreme duress, but Noctis had his arm wrapped around his shoulder and was saying something with a small smile. “Let’s finish up your math homework so we can go help them.”

 

***

 

“The Council will want a ‘Glaive posted with you, most likely,” Regis warned. Cor rolled his eyes.

“I’m the Marshall, what the hell do they think Prompto’s gonna pull on me?” Clarus laughed.

“Nothin’ you didn’t try pulling on everybody when you were his age,” Cor’s ears turned pink. “Come on, tell me you haven’t thought about it. Can you imagine trying to ground him?” Clarus put on an approximation of Cor’s voice, “Go to your room!” He turned in his seat and put on a falsetto voice, “’No way!’ And then he puts you in a leg bar.” Cor could feel the ulcers forming in his stomach.

“Oh please,” Regis scoffed. “You’re going to teach your kid how to kick your ass pretty soon. Try grounding yourself at his age.” Clarus, who apparently hadn’t considered this, got a vacant look on his face as he reached out to rock Iris’ baby seat.

“Oh.” He said quietly. Cor chuckled.

“The kid’s already huge for a nine-year-old. What do you feed him?” He laughed as Clarus rolled his eyes.

“He eats almost as much as I do, and all of his pants are either too short or too big around!” Clarus exclaimed. “Kid grows an inch a week, I swear. And the shoes!” Clarus moaned. “I understand my father a little bit more.” The silence got heavy as Cor’s mind took him to a well-travelled place. He wondered what he’d understand about his own father in the coming months.

“He’ll need a tutor,” Regis said, pulling Cor back from his thoughts. Cor nodded rapidly.

“He’s not stupid,” Cor said quietly. “He knows what he wants to say and how he wants to say it, but he just doesn’t have the words.” Cor looked over to where Noctis was reading with the child in question, arm slung around his shoulder. Prompto was relegated to turning the page, and his eyebrows knit together in concentration. He watched as Ignis and Gladiolus finished up what they were working on and joined the other two boys on the window seat. Prompto grinned at Gladiolus, who was now taking out the braid that Cor had tried this morning. He settled up against the older boy’s crossed legs, basking in the attention like a cat.

“He asked me last night if he could have his hair like Noctis’.” Cor shared, grinning slightly. Regis chuckled as he finished signing some paperwork. He couldn’t leave things undone two days in a row, but he also didn’t want to miss what he hoped would be a new after-school activity.

“Noctis is due for a trim. If you’d like, they can have their appointments together,” Regis said, turning the page.

“Might make it easier on him. Looks like it’ll be his first haircut.” Clarus chimed in. Cor nodded.

“Sounds like a plan.” He agreed. Noctis appeared to have finished what he was working on, and Gladiolus challenged the younger two to a race. They hopped up from the window seat as Ignis high-fived Gladiolus and started over towards the couch and chairs. “Oh boy. Incoming,” Cor warned.

“Uncle Cor,” Ignis said, hovering near the chair where Cor was seated. The kid fiddled with his glasses for a few moments before continuing. “We might have learned something… distressing.”

“What’s up, kiddo?” Cor asked, frowning. A delighted squeal rang through the room as Noctis won a race. Prompto complaining about his shoes could be heard over top, as well as Gladiolus laughing.

“We don’t think that Prompto can read,” He said bluntly. “Did… Did he never learn?” Cor blinked.

“I don’t suppose he would have,” Regis said quietly. Ignis quickly gave them a summation of what Noctis had said happened, and Cor frowned.

“We’re looking into getting him a tutor. Thank you for telling us, Ignis. That’s very responsible of you.” Cor said quietly. Ignis’ face coloured, but he nodded sharply. When Cor looked back up, the three boys were tumbling out of Noctis’ bathroom. Prompto was wearing the Prince’s clothes and tennis shoes, and Cor made a note to pack him some play clothes from now on.

“Can we go outside?” Noctis called from across the room. “Please?” Clarus stood with Iris, who was gnawing away on a teething ring.

“Sure. Uncle Cor and I will come on out.” Clarus called. “You have that meeting anyway, don’t you Reggie?” He asked, and Regis looked at his watch and swore.

“Thanks,” He called, jogging towards the door with his stack of papers. “Dinner tonight? All of us?” Cor and Clarus answered affirmatively and Regis grinned, ducking out the door.

The boys went outside and Prompto was immediately up a tree.

“Whoa!” Gladiolus exclaimed. “How’d you do that so fast?” Prompto shrugged from his perch.

“I like being up.” He called down. Clarus chuckled and looked at a baffled Cor.

“I do not envy you.” Cor shook his head as Clarus tried to get Iris acclimated to the grass. She was absolutely not having it, and with the chill in the air of late October in Insomnia, Cor didn’t blame her.

“Cor, Cor!” Prompto called from higher up in the tree. “Look!” Cor exclaimed wordlessly as Prompto hooked the tree branch behind his knees and flipped upside down.

“Listen, you gotta come down a couple more branches,” Cor called hoarsely. “You’re gonna give me a stroke.” Prompto pouted but obliged.

“Gladio, give me a boost,” Noctis urged.

“Oh, no, you don’t,” Gladiolus said, beating his dad to the punch. “If you fall outta that tree, my ass is grass.” Clarus snorted as Gladiolus cringed.

“No, come on. I won’t fall!” Noctis shook Gladiolus slightly.

“Okay, but you’re staying way, waaay lower than where Prompto is.” Gladiolus finally relented.

“I’ll come down!” Prompto chirped. “Are you coming up, Gladdy?” Ignis snickered at the nickname.

“Can it, Iggy,” Gladiolus growled. That just made Ignis laugh harder.

“A boost?” Noctis said, impatiently reaching for a branch. Gladiolus wove his fingers together and lifted the Prince within grabbing distance of the branch.

“You’re gonna have to pull yourself up, Princess.” He grunted. Noctis grabbed the branch and kicked his feet, almost knocking Gladiolus’ block clean off. “Watch it!”

“Sorry, Gladdy,” Gladiolus rolled his eyes.

“Oh, boy.” He said dryly. Ignis was hit with another wave of chuckles. “Oh, you just wait till he mangles your name. You will live with it _forever_ so help me, Shiva,” Cor laughed at the venom in the boy’s voice. “Need a boost?”

“I’ve got it,” Ignis replied airily. He jumped and reached the branch easily before turning to Gladiolus. “Need a hand?” He asked tauntingly.

“No.” Gladiolus scowled, reaching for the branch with a small hop. He pulled himself up and stuck his tongue out at Ignis.

“Don’t look down,” Ignis said, grinning. A branch above them, Prompto was pulling Noctis onto the branch he was sitting on.

“Check it out,” Noctis crowed. “You can see the whole Citadel from here!” Ignis joined them on the branch and Gladiolus scooched himself closer to the tree.

“I’m checkin’ it out just fine from here.” Gladiolus insisted. “Somebody’s gotta catch you if you fall.”

“Don’t worry, Gladio,” Prompto said, in a serious tone that Cor had never heard before. “I got him.”

“As do I,” Ignis said, matching Prompto’s serious tone. “We got him,” Ignis stressed, looking pointedly at Gladio.

“Guess we do.”

 

***

 

After dinner, Regis pulled Cor aside. There was a frown on his face. They hadn’t had the chance to talk after the meeting.

“I talked with Virilius. He still insists that you be given a ‘Glaive, and what’s worse, the Council wants to choose them.” Cor rolled his eyes.

“Great.” He groused. “Whatever I have to do to appease them, I’ll do.” Regis sighed, an apology in his eyes.

“Good, because they’re here.” Shock ran across Cor’s face. “They wouldn’t let the two of you leave Citadel grounds without an escort.”

“This is just great,” Cor growls, turning towards the door. “Is that him?” He hissed at Regis. Regis nodded, lips pursed into a line. “What is he, eight?”

“He’s only a little younger than you when you joined the ‘Glaives.” Regis admonished. “He’s from Galahd.” Cor felt the weight of that sentence. “He’s not the worst the Council could have chosen.”

“You’re right,” Cor said, shaking his head. “But now I’ve got two kids to watch.” The kid made his way over to where Regis and Cor stood.

“Your Majesty,” He bowed to Regis, who looked amused. “Marshal,” He saluted Cor, who muttered, “At ease,”. “It’s—It’s an honour,” He said, smiling.

“Thank you for being willing to help,” Regis said, smiling back. Cor let him handle the small talk. He watched Prompto, who sat on the other side of the dining room with Noctis and Ignis. Clarus had to take Gladiolus and Iris home, much to Gladiolus’ dismay, but he understood that his little sister needed some downtime. Prompto was listening, rapt, as Noctis told a story.

“I’m supposed to go where you and Prompto go, sir. I’ll stay out of your hair as much as possible,” The kid babbled.

“What’s your name?” Cor asked, interrupting him. The kid coloured from his hair to where his uniform was zipped to his throat.

“Uh, Nyx. Nyx Ulric.”

 

***

 

Nyx ended up sitting in the back of the car, with Prompto up front. He had one small duffle bag that went into the back seat next to him.

“Do I feed you, or…?” Cor trailed off. Prompto was watching Nyx intently, curled up sideways in his seat.

“Uh, I ate before meeting you guys. I’m supposed to be with you guys at all points in time outside of the Citadel…” He trailed off as well, feeling how awkward this was. Cor frowned.

“They aren’t giving you an alternate? Day on, day off?” Nyx shook his head.

“Nobody else wanted to do it, sir.” He said quietly. “We all know how thrilled you probably are…”

“Great. What made you take the job?” Cor asked as he parked the car. Nyx cleared his throat.

“I’m the youngest, so…” Cor laughed at that.

“So you get the shit jobs. I hear ya,” Cor said, shutting off the car. “I know how it feels. Well, we’ll try our best to not be such a shit job, isn’t that right, Prom?” Prompto responded by narrowing his eyes at Nyx. Nyx watched back, baffled at the child’s silence.

“You’re a guard,” Prompto said quietly.

“Yeah,” Nyx replied, frowning.

“You’re wearing the outfit.” Prompto said, nodding. “Where are your weapons?” He asked, squinting further. Cor looked at the child in mild shock.

“Let’s get into the house and talk more, okay, kiddo?” Prompto accepted the suggestion and slid out of the car before heading towards the stairs.

“Uh, sir?” Nyx asked, eyes wide. “Where did you say he was from, again?”

“I didn’t.” Cor replied simply, following Prompto. Nyx shook his head and collected himself before grabbing his bag and jogging to keep up.

Upstairs, Prompto watched Nyx until after Cor had given him the two-second tour.

 “I didn’t figure you’d ask again,” Nyx said, crouching. He called upon one of his kukuris and watched the kid’s eyes blow wide with wonder. “See? It’s the King’s magic.” He smiled gently at Prompto as he sent it back.

“I want that,” Prompto said immediately. Cor laughed.

“You’re a little young to be signin’ up for the Kingsglaive,” He replied. He looked curiously at Nyx but chose to save his questions for later.

“How old do I gotta be?” Prompto asked, not letting it go. Cor frowned, honestly thinking about the answer to the question.

“After you finish school, we’ll talk about it.” He finally decided on. Prompto nodded after a moment of consideration.

“Can I go to school tomorrow?” Nyx laughed at the kid’s insistence.

 “We’re gonna meet with a tutor tomorrow, so sure,” Cor said, smiling. Prompto nodded once, a fierce expression on his face.

“I’m getting a bath and going to bed.” He declared, running toward the bathroom. Cor chuckled and shook his head.

“He’s a little intense,” Nyx said, once the bath started running.

“You’re telling me.” There was a brief lull as Cor did up their breakfast dishes and packed a lunch for Prompto. “You’re pretty good with him, so far. How come?” Nyx frowned.

“I had a sister,” Nyx explained. “In Galahd.” Cor noticed the past tense and bowed his head.

“I’m sorry I asked.” He said solemnly. Nyx nodded in acceptance. Nyx leant against the counter and watched as Cor wiped down the counter. “Unfortunately, I just have the one bed, and unless you’re into sardines, it’s the couch for you.” Nyx chuckled.

“I’ve slept in closer quarters, but the couch sounds fine.”

Prompto bounded out of the bath and jumped into his pyjamas.

“Ready for bed?” Cor asked, and Prompto nodded. “Light on or off?”

“Off,” He chirped. Cor shut off the light. “Goodnight, Cor.”

“Goodnight, Prompto.”

 

***

In the morning, Cor made three plates of pancakes. He looked dismally at the cupboards and sighed. He’d have to go grocery shopping, considering he suddenly became a family of three. Prompto was nearly buzzing with excitement.

“What’s a tutor?” He asked.

“A teacher, but just for you,” Cor replied. Prompto nodded, frowning.

“So, I’m not going with Noct?” Cor shook his head.

“Sorry, bud. Not yet. You’re gonna come into work with me, and we’ll meet your tutor, and then you two are going with one of Nyx’s buddies to the library to work.” Prompto nodded. “You’ll be nice to them, and do what they say, right?” Prompto nodded again.

“Yeah, no problems!” Prompto replied. “Then after, are we going to hang out with Noct again? And Iggy? And Gladdy?” Cor nodded.

“Yep. Tomorrow, do you want to get a haircut?” Prompto grinned.

“Yep! I want it like Noct’s.” Cor chuckled.

“Of course. Noct is gonna come with us.” Prompto’s eyes widened.

“He is?” He shrieked.

“Hey, no yelling. Our neighbours might get mad.” Prompto responded by bouncing in his chair. Nyx watched, amused, as he picked at his pancakes. “What’s up, Nyx?” Cor asked.

“You didn’t have to make me pancakes, sir,” He said, blushing. “This is surreal. I’m eating pancakes at the Marshal’s house,”

“I know, kid. Just… Just have some breakfast and we’ll get going.” Nyx yawned and took a sip of his juice. “How much sleep did you get?”

“Not a lot,” Nyx admitted ruefully. “Couch is like a rock.”

“Don’t I know it,” Cor chuckled. “We’re lookin’ to move places sometime this week, so we’ll work on getting you a futon or something.”

“Sir, you don’t have to,” Nyx said, shaking his head.

“Listen, kid. I don’t know how long they’re gonna make you stick around, and I don’t want you burnt out. You still have training to go to during the day, don’t you?” Nyx nodded, the exhaustion clear on his face. “Now, I don’t know who you pissed off to get this gig, but I won’t let you get kicked out of the ‘Glaives because you’ve got to play bodyguard with us.” Nyx let that settle for a moment before nodding.

“Alright. Thank you, sir.” He tucked into his pancakes.

“Don’t mention it.”

 

***

 

They rode in the car to the Citadel, where Nyx brought Prompto to the library and left him with another ‘Glaive called Kieran. Cor had assessments to do on the training grounds, but he promised he’d come back to see Prompto on their lunch breaks.

Prompto kicked his feet in the chair. The tutor was a little late.

“So, kid,” Kieran said, clearing his throat. “You’re Cor’s boy, right?” Prompto nodded. “What’s your name?”

“Prompto,” He said, sticking his hand out like he had seen Cor do at all the meetings. “Nice to meet you!” Kieran chuckled and took it, giving him a firm shake.

“Kieran. I work for your dad.” Prompto nodded, filing the information away.

“Lots of people do, I think.” He said, squinting. Kieran laughed and agreed with him.

“Do you know what your dad does?” Prompto shrugged.

“People call him ‘The Marshall’, but he’s not that. He’s Cor,” He bounced in his seat. The quicker he could get his school done, the quicker he could get his hands on those cool weapons Nyx had shown him. Kieran laughed but said nothing else for a long moment.

“Babysitting isn’t as bad as some of the gigs I could have gotten,” He said with a sigh. He eyed Prompto for a second before taking out his phone. A tinny song blared from the speakers before Kieran looked around sheepishly and muted it. Prompto looked curiously at the back of the phone for a moment but didn’t have a chance to ask any questions before a woman burst through the doors of the library. He pressed himself into the back of the seat in surprise, and to Kieran’s credit, he automatically put himself between Prompto and the frazzled woman.

“Sorry!” She breathed. “Just me!” She set down a large briefcase. “I’m Professor Valentine. You must be Prompto.”

“Yeah,” Prompto, still trepidatious, stuck his hand out as he had with Kieran. Professor Valentine came around the long table and shook it with a smile. “Nice to meet you,” He said, face still suspicious.

“Nice to meet you! Today, we’re going to learn a little bit about each other. You’re going to get a bunch of worksheets, and we’ll go over them together to see what you need to learn!” Prompto nodded. Worksheets, that’s what Noctis does all the time. He could do worksheets. Easy!

Turns out, not what he expected. He didn’t know anything on the worksheets at all. He was getting frustrated. How did Noctis do this so easily? His face felt hot and his tummy rumbled around the pancakes Cor gave him this morning. Professor Valentine looked more and more upset and he was worried that Cor would be mad at him for not knowing anything. Kieran stayed quiet behind him the whole time.

“So, Prompto. You’re not in any trouble, but… Where did you live before you lived with Cor?” Professor Valentine asked. Her voice was soft, but Prompto couldn’t stop watching the way her eyes kept looking him up and down. The question made his spine itch.

“I don’t know.” He replied. Cor had told him just to tell people he didn’t remember or that he didn’t know, which wasn’t a lie. He didn’t even know really where he was right now, let alone a place that seemed thousands of miles away. Professor Valentine frowned.

“You must have some kind of idea. What was it like?” She asked. Her voice stayed the same, but her eyes narrowed at him.

“I don’t remember.” He said, voice shaking a little bit. Professor Valentine frowned harder, but behind him, Kieran shifted slightly. Professor Valentine’s eyes snapped to him and she forced a smile.

“Alright, Prompto. Let’s look at the math worksheets.”

 

***

 

Prompto gnawed on the straw to his juice box. They were sitting cross-legged on the wall at the sidelines of the training field, and both Prompto and Cor had taken off their ties and rolled up their sleeves. Clarus, from across the field, had snapped a quick photo on his phone for posterity.

“Prom, if you’re still hungry, I have some more snacks,” Cor offered with a chuckle. “You don’t have to eat your straw.”

“No,” Prompto replied, frowning. “Are you mad at me?”

“For what?” Cor asked, mildly shocked.

“Professor Valentine made me do worksheets,” Prompto said softly. “I didn’t know them.” He figured the punishment would be less if he told Cor that he knew what he did.

“No, buddy. No way. That’s why you’re going to see Professor Valentine. She’s going to teach you how to do them.” Cor said lightly. “It’s not your fault you don’t know what to do.”

“Okay,” Prompto looked like he didn’t quite believe him.

“Do you wanna learn how to ride the skateboard tonight with the boys?” Cor offered. Prompto perked up a little and nodded. “Okay. After work, I’ll run home and get your stuff and some play clothes, alright? As for now, it looks like it’s time to go back to work. You good to go?” Prompto nodded again, slithering down from the wall. He and Cor fixed their clothes in tandem, prompting Clarus to stifle a chuckle and snap another photo. Cor swiped a stray piece of hair back from Prompto’s face and Prompto beamed at him.

“Okay, Cor! I’ll see you after school!” Cor watched at Prompto launched himself in Kieran’s direction and the ‘Glaive had to jog to keep up. He laughed at the sloppy salute he received on the way out the door.

“I should just make all these kids chase Prompto around for a day,” Cor said to Clarus. “Whoever he doesn’t shake gets to stay.” Clarus laughed and shook his head.

“He’s a pistol, that’s for sure.”

 

***

 

Kieran stayed very close to Prompto that afternoon, and Prompto was grateful. Professor Valentine made him do a bunch of puzzles that he couldn’t understand why he had to do. Of course he could make the shape from the picture with the blocks. It was easy. Why did he have to put the shapes in a sequence? There was a clear pattern. He couldn’t grasp why she kept giving him these long looks between the puzzles and writing things on a piece of paper. She looked like the doctors from before, and the thought made him shiver. When he shivered, she wrote that down too. When Nyx came back to get him, he made small talk with Kieran as Professor Valentine straightened up her paperwork and waited for Cor. Kieran kept a close eye on her, and Nyx frowned at him before he looked at the way Prompto was curled up in the chair.

“Marshall, hello! I’m Professor Valentine,” She introduced herself, smiling wide. Cor shook her hand and looked to Prompto. He was looking a little less green around the gills.

“Hello. Thanks for meeting with him today. You think you’ll be able to help him out?” He asked. His gaze flicked to Kieran. “You’re dismissed, son. Thank you.”

“I, uh. Can I borrow Nyx for a second?” Cor squinted but nodded. “Thank you, sir,” The ‘Glaives saluted him and stepped out into the hallway.

“As this sheet indicates, it’s clear that his knowledge of conventional subjects is next to nothing, but his logic and reasoning skills are off the charts. Literally.”

 

***

 

“And she just kept asking the poor kid really invasive questions. I dunno, gave me the willies. Keep an eye on him, okay?” Kieran said, shaking his head. “It’s not enough to like, complain to Cor about but…”

“But enough to watch.” Nyx finished, frowning. They were both some of the youngest members of the ‘Glaive, which was no doubt on purpose. It had to be some passive-aggressive play from the Council, to tell Cor they didn’t think he was important enough for a real guard. “I’ll keep a close eye on him tonight… You think it has anything to do with how weird he is?”

“He’s definitely a trip,” Kieran replied. “Did he ask you where you kept your weapons? On the way back from lunch, he all but begged me to take out my daggers…” Nyx laughed, shaking his head.

“He made me do that last night. He’s dead set on joining the ‘Glaives,” He replied and Kieran shook his head.

“What the hell… Did Cor grow him in a lab somewhere?” He laughed and Nyx joined him. What a ridiculous concept.

 

***

Prompto held onto Cor’s hands tightly. Gladiolus walked behind Prompto with an arm out.

“Gladiolus, you don’t have to trail him,” Clarus chuckled. “He’s wearing more protective gear than some of our soldiers wear on the battlefield.”

“They’re not six years old,” Gladiolus responded waspishly.

“And they aren’t our cousin,” Noctis crowed from his bike in front of them. They were riding through the gardens like a parade, with Ignis bringing up the rear, also on his bike. Clarus had Gladiolus’ bike on one shoulder and pushed Iris in a pram with the other hand. Cor made sure to tell Clarus how absolutely ridiculous he was, but Clarus only laughed.

“Can you balance?” Cor asked Prompto, who made a face of pure concentration and nodded. Gladiolus’ eyes flashed from Noctis, who was speeding ahead, to Prompto, who wobbled as Cor showed him how to push the skateboard with his foot. He made a terrified face at Ignis, who put on a burst of speed on his bike to catch up with Noctis. Gladiolus sighed in relief as he saw Ignis ride alongside the Prince. Clarus chuckled and gave his son a warm look.

“What are you gonna do when Iris starts walking?” He asked his son lightly.

“Pray for a clone,” Gladiolus grumbled, not missing a beat. Prompto wobbled violently and Gladiolus righted him automatically. “C’mon, cuz, you got this.”

“Try going a little faster,” Cor said and Prompto made a small noise of shock. “I promise, it’s easier to balance going faster.” Prompto took a deep breath and did what Cor asked. He put a little more oomph into the next push, and while he did find that it was easier to balance, it was also a little harder to push. His tennis shoe caught the pavement and he pitched forward. Two hands snatched him by the shoulders before he hit the ground.

“Whew.” Prompto sighed. “Thanks!” Cor and Gladiolus grinned back at him. Cor straightened his helmet, smiling at the big blue eyes Prompto was giving him. The sun was setting behind them, giving everything a warm, golden glow. The kid looked like he had a halo as the wisps of blonde hair escaped from his helmet. 

“You’re doing great. Try again.”


	9. Chapter Nine

The only thing that kept Prompto going through Professor Valentine’s uncomfortable questions (“Is Cor nice to you? Nice how? What do you do when you’re together?”) was the promise of a haircut with Noctis after school. Kieran stood very close to the back of Prompto’s chair all day, and the knowledge that a man stood within grabbing distance that could summon daggers out of thin air calmed Prompto significantly.

When Cor and Nyx came to get him, he bounced over to Cor, who scooped him up on reflex. Professor Valentine sidled over to them.

“He was very good today, Marshall.” She said, smiling broadly at Cor. Cor blinked a few times.

“He usually is,” He said flatly. “What did you guys work on today?” The woman slipped into a discussion on letters and numbers that made Prompto’s head swim. Cor was glad that Prompto was picking things up so rapidly. Prompto’s drive to join the Kingsglaive must be more than he originally thought. “Alright. We’ll work on some flash cards tonight, then.” Cor said absently. Professor Valentine nodded tightly. “But for now, some certain little guy is overdue for a haircut,” Cor said, gently bouncing Prompto.

“It’s gone well past a haircut,” Nyx snorted. “It’s a shearing now. Sir,” He tacked on, turning red as Kieran chuckled at him.

“You’re probably right,” Cor chuckled. “Let’s get him downstairs before he explodes.” They met with Noctis, Ignis, Gladiolus, and Clarus pushing Iris in a pram near the front gate.

“It’s a nice enough day,” Clarus said, and Cor nodded. They’d walk. It wasn’t too far. He allowed Prompto to slither to the ground, but he stayed close.

“What’s up?” Cor asked, frowning. He wasn’t tripping after the Prince like Cor expected.

“That’s… That’s a lot of people.” Prompto said, gesturing to the crowd just beyond the gate. People rode bikes, waited for buses, talked on phones, and Prompto’s eyes flicked from person to person manically, wide as dinner plates.

“Yep. Sure is,” Cor agreed. He knelt, and Clarus reigned in the rest of the boys. Nyx stood behind Cor, uneasy. “What’s making you nervous?” Gladiolus came back for Prompto but stayed quiet as Prompto tried to explain his shaking hands and hammering heart.

“Are they all… Safe?” Prompto asked.

“The Wall protects us pretty well… Do you mean are _they_ safe, or are _we_ safe?” Cor asked, squinting at Prompto.

“Us.” He said, jamming his hands in the pockets of his slacks.

“Me and Clarus aren’t gonna let anything happen to you guys,” Cor said, smoothing a hand down Prompto’s arm. He frowned. “And it’s Nyx’s job to make sure nothing happens to Me and Clarus.”

“What if…” Prompto shrugged, not sure of the possibilities he was afraid of. Cor made a pained face.

“Do you want to learn something my dad taught me when I was your age?” He asked voice pitched low. “It helped me a lot when I was afraid.” Prompto, eyes shining, nodded with a snuffle, and Gladiolus immediately moved closer to him. “Imagine everything you see to be a screen, alright? And then you divide your screen like this.” Cor drew an x-axis and a y-axis in the air in front of Prompto. “Got that much?” He continued when Prompto nodded. “Alright. Well, you check each section for a few seconds, assess what’s in the section. For me, right now, in the top two sections, there’s Gladiolus’ gut. In the bottom two sections, there’s some smelly kid named Prompto.” Prompto gave him a weak chuckle and Cor rubbed his arms. “After you identify what’s in each section, you assess if it’s a threat. Then you turn your head, and you start all over.” Prompto nodded.

“What about behind?” Prompto asked quietly.

“If you stay in front of me, you don’t gotta worry about behind,” Cor assured him. “Look at this ugly mug. Do you think somebody’s gonna mess with it?” Prompto laughed and shook his head. “You ready for a haircut with Noctis?”

“Yeah,” He said, beaming.

“If you get nervous, you just gotta tell us, okay?” Gladiolus chimed in, putting his arm around Prompto. “We’ll fix it.”

“Okay, Gladdy.” Prompto agreed brightly. “Race you?”

“You’re on, squirt,” Gladiolus chuckled, and the boys took off toward Noctis and Ignis. Clarus clapped a firm hand on Cor’s shoulder.

“You alright?” He asked, face deadly serious.

“Yeah. I’m… fine,” Cor said, meaning it. Clarus nodded, tabling the discussion for now. They walked behind the kids the four blocks to the barber, watching fondly as Gladiolus and Ignis insisted on taking the smaller kids’ hands before crossing the street. They got in the door and Cor sat down with a book of haircuts with Prompto.

“Do you want exactly like Noctis or would you like to look at some other ones with me?” Prompto shrugged and Cor opened the book. They flipped idly through the book together and Prompto pointed at a style abruptly. It was in a collection of something called “Runway Ready”, and Cor sighed deeply.

“That.” He said firmly.

“Uh, that’s a little… High maintainance,” Clarus chimed in.

“I mean, not as bad at this,” Cor chuckled, motioning to the braid.

“You use a number three guard all over, Cor. There’s no way you’re going to style his like that.” Clarus grinned at the gravity-defying spikes.

“If that’s what he wants, it’s his hair.” Prompto bounced in his seat.

They were summoned to the back by a smiling young woman with a tray of drinks. Cor always loathed how fancy everything was this close to the Citadel. He got his own haircuts about fifteen blocks closer to the Wall, in a little shop where the old man at the chair had known him since he was a kid. Noctis climbed into a chair and waved Prompto to a chair next to him.

“Wow, sweetie! Your hair is so long! I bet all the girls at school would kill to have your hair.” Prompto’s hairdresser cooed. Prompto smiled uncomfortably, not quite sure what to do with the interaction. Cor wanted to swoop in and alleviate the tension, but he allowed Prompto to try and handle it himself.

“Yeah. It gets tangled easy and I don’t like it when Cor has to brush it.” Prompto finally said. “Gladdy braids it.”

“How nice!” The woman cooed again and turned to wave at Gladiolus. “Are you their new friend? We’ve seen the Prince and his friends here for a long time now.” She undid the braid and got him ready to wash his hair.

“They’re my cousins.” He said nonchalantly, kicking his feet. The woman chuckled, wearing the expression Prompto had been wearing earlier.

“Okay,” She agreed, and Cor chuckled to himself. As she was washing out his hair, he began to talk her ear off the best he could about the games that Kieran had shown him on his phone that afternoon during lunch. Noctis sipped happily on a juice box and sat very still as the guy rinsed his hair out.

“So, do we have a style we want to go with?” The hairdresser asked Prompto cheerily.

“Cor has it!” Prompto said, pointing to the book that Cor held with his finger in the page.

“Here we are,” Cor handed it over.

“Oh, that’s a little… That’s a little much for a little guy, don’t you think, Dad?” She asked him, unsure.

“If that’s what he wants, we can give it a shot. It grows back, right?” Cor chuckled, trying not to show externally how much being referred to as a dad really shook up his snowglobe. The woman laughed and shrugged.

“Alright, we’ll give it a shot.” With that, she began hacking off the long blonde hair. Prompto watched with wonder as it fell around him. Noctis peeped over at him in the mirror.

“Whoa, Prom. You’re gonna look like a whole new dude.” He said, grinning.

“I hope so!” Prompto said, chewing on the straw of his juice box and peeping at Noctis in the mirror. “You’re gonna look the same, but shorter.” Noctis giggled.

“Hey dad,” Gladiolus tugged on Clarus. “After we do our homework, can everybody sleepover? It’s Friday,” He asked.

“I don’t see why not,” Clarus allowed. Nyx shifted uncomfortably and scrunched his eyebrows together, and Cor frowned at him.

“What’s up, kid?” He asked.

“Who am I supposed to stay with if Prompto goes over to a friend’s house?” He asked, looking up and out with a deep look of bewilderment. Cor snorted.

“At this moment, I don’t think it matters,” Cor supplied softly. Prompto had launched into an explanation of a weapon on Kieran’s game that the hairdresser wasn’t following at all and couldn’t hear Cor. “He wouldn’t sleep the night someplace without me anyway.”

“Aww,” Gladiolus sighed. “Can he at least come over for a little bit, then?”

“Well, Uncle Cor could sleep over too,” Ignis offered hopefully.

“Now, don’t go volunteering Uncle Cor for stuff,” Clarus said, chuckling.

“I mean, we haven’t played poker in _months,_ ” Cor said, grinning. “We could see if His Majesty is free, Drautos…” The silence held names they hadn’t so much as spoken of in months, either.

“Yeah. Want me to text them?” Clarus asked with a heart as heavy as Cor’s.

“Let’s go for it.”

Their planning was interrupted by Prompto shrieking like he’d been stabbed and Cor jumping to his feet and sprinting the four steps to the chair.

“I don’t know what I did!” The hairdresser cried, hands over her mouth. “I just turned on the clippers!” Prompto clung to Cor and shook in the plastic cape.

“It was probably the sound. It’s alright, let me take him out back.” Cor eyed the other patrons of the salon sheepishly. “We’ll be right back.” Cor stepped into the alleyway, appreciative when Nyx held open the door for them but stayed silent. Cor bounced a sobbing Prompto, whose whole tiny body shook with the strength of his hiccups.

“I’m sorry,” Prompto whispered hoarsely after he’d cried himself out.

“Don’t be sorry, buddy. What happened in there?” Cor asked gently. Nyx watched from by the doorway, stricken but still silent.

“What was that?” Prompto asked quietly.

“Those are clippers. They cut your hair and they don’t hurt.” Cor supplied. Prompto nodded slowly.

“They sounded like…” Prompto shivered and Cor nodded. Prompto didn’t bother finishing his sentence before burying his head in Cor’s shoulder.

“You wanna finish your haircut?” Prompto nodded weakly into Cor’s neck. “Alright, buddy. Look at me.” Cor dried Prompto’s face with a napkin he now had a stash of in the pocket of his jacket. “Good as new. You wanna walk in like a big guy?” Prompto nodded once, eyes glimmering fiercely. “Atta boy. Let’s go.” Nyx opened the door for them again and Prompto marched himself back in and sat back down in the chair.

“I’m sorry. Can we try again?” Prompto asked meekly. The hairdresser put her hand over her heart and pouted.

“Of course, darling! Come on, let’s get you lined up. Do you want another juice?” Prompto nodded and thanked her as she gave him a juice box. She finished with the clippers and took out a blowdryer.

“Uh, wait,” Cor called, coming over to her. “Can you, uh, walk me through this? I have no idea what to do,” He fumbled, feeling his face heat up. Oh, fuck’s sake… He had fought in _wars_ , and he couldn’t admit he didn’t know how to style a kid’s crazy haircut?

“Aw, you hear that, Prompto? Your dad’s gonna do your hair for you!” The woman cooed, and Prompto nodded, giving him a twinkly-eyed smile in the mirror.

“Yeah.” He agreed, and Cor could have died on the spot. Cor watched intently as the woman walked him through the products and techniques used to make Prompto’s hair stick straight up like it does in the photo. It took fifteen minutes when she did it, but Cor quietly pencilled in a half an hour extra in the mornings with an internal sigh.

“Alright, so I’m gonna need all that goop and one of those, uh, brushes and blowdryers, right?” Cor said, stiffly gesturing at the pile of stuff the woman had put on the counter. She laughed.

“We sell them all up front, sir.” Cor nodded, wondering how much _that_ was going to cost him. All thoughts of his wallet’s screams of abject horror went out the window as he watched Prompto look at himself in the mirror.

“Like what you see, buddy?” He asked, amused. Prompto was staring at his reflection in awe.

“Yeah,” He whispered quietly, as if he were afraid to scare the boy away in the mirror. “Thank you,” He said reverently, and it made something thrum in Cor’s chest.

“You’re welcome.” Noctis slid down from his seat in his chair.

“You look awesome, Prom!” He reached out to ruffle Prompto’s hair and Prompto ducked under Noctis’ hand with the ease of someone used to fighting.

“Nah-ah,” Prompto said firmly. “No touching it.” Noctis giggled and reached out again, causing Prompto to squint and duck away again. They danced around each other for a few moments, Prompto looking more and more affronted with each dive that Noctis took. “Noct, you are like, horrible at this.”

“Hey!” Noctis exclaimed, stopping his game.

“Let’s get up front and pay these guys so we can get home and get some boys ready for a sleepover,” Clarus called, looking mildly uneasily at Prompto. Cor met Clarus’s eyes and Clarus nodded. They’d be talking about this later, as well. As Noctis turned to follow Clarus, Prompto got an impish look on his face and ruffled Noctis’ hair.

“ _HEY!”_ Noctis said, whipping around.

“What? I didn’t do anything.” Prompto said smugly. Cor stifled a chuckle with his hand. Noctis watched Prompto closely for the remainder of the walk back to the Citadel.

 

***

 

“I wonder why they were training him. He must’ve practised every day since he could walk.” Clarus said, stretching out the sheet.

“He clearly has. You saw the way he shoots. Nothing like that comes that naturally to anybody.” Cor said, laying down a bunch of pillows. They had pushed all of the furniture to the walls in Clarus’ sitting room, which was in direct eye contact with the informal dining room where the poker game would take place. “I mean, hell. He took me down.” A thud came from upstairs and both men stopped in their fort making.

“Gladiolus?” Clarus called.

“We’re okay!” A voice replied.

“What was that?” Clarus called back.

“Nothing… Important!” Gladiolus replied. The men squinted at each other and moved toward the stairs. “Don’t come up!” Gladiolus cried.

“That only makes me want to come up more,” Clarus said from the base of the stairs, crossing his arms.

“We fixed it!” Noctis replied, followed by a cry of pain. “What? We did!”

“Well, now he knows it was broken in the first place,” Gladiolus hissed. “It’s fine!” Cor grinned at Clarus.

“If it’s fine, then I should be able to come right up…” Clarus said, trailing off and putting his boot heavily on the bottom step. Cor and Clarus heard a shrill squeal, followed by the scrambling of four pairs of feet to fix… something. Cor chuckled as the feet reached a fever pitch by the time they hit the top of the stairs.

“Not so fast, not so fast,” Gladiolus cried, hearing Clarus’ boots make their way down the hall and toward his room.

“Hold still, Noctis, honestly,” Ignis said waspishly. They were almost the whole way down the hall. Prompto’s manic giggling began, and Noctis caught it as Clarus pushed open the door. The four boys were standing in the centre of a spotless room, honestly cleaner than what it was that morning, grinning back at Cor and Clarus.

“That’s the most suspicious image I have ever seen in my life.” Clarus deadpanned, and Gladiolus burst into laughter, joining Noctis and Prompto. Ignis looked mildly harried and affronted, but looked fondly at where Prompto was nudging Noctis to be quiet. “You guys should come on downstairs and build your fort.” The kids poured out of the room and bounded down the stairs, and Clarus cast a suspicious eye around the room.

“I don’t think we’ll ever know.” Cor chuckled and Clarus grinned.

“I don’t think I want to,” He replied, and they made their way back downstairs. The boys were ripping all the couch cushions off and handing them to Ignis.

“This requires the utmost attention to detail,” He was murmuring to Prompto, who watched attentively. “One wrong move, and we’ll wake up under a mound of cushions.”

“I could think of worse ways to wake up.” Prompto chirped with a shrug. Ignis paused what he was doing and his eyes slid over to the younger boy uneasily.

“You’re probably right.” He said, uncomfortably. Clarus cleared his throat and asked what they wanted on their pizza to change the subject.

That night, the boys were content to watch animated movies and the adults sat in the dining nook. Nyx leant against the counter in the kitchen, within eyesight of both rooms, looking bedraggled as his eyes flicked from Drautos, to the King, to the Marshall, to Clarus, then back to the boys in their fort. After a few hands, Drautos sighed heavily.

“Get in here and sit down,” He said, motioning to Nyx. Nyx wheezed in response.

“He’s gonna have a heart attack,” Cor chuckled.

“He’s gonna give me an ulcer,” Drautos shot back. Nyx stiffly sat at the table, eyes as wide as saucers.

“Not to sound disrespectful, sir… Sirs… Your Majesty?” Nyx began, voice cracking. “But why am I here? There’s no way that anything could happen in this house at this moment that I could stop any better than any of you.” He said quietly. The kid looked tired, and Cor wondered with a pang how much he’d been sleeping. Drautos sighed into his beer.

“Honestly, kid, it’s all politics.” He finally replied. “The Council wanted you here, so that’s what they got. I don’t know why they picked you specifically, but here you are.”

“Do know that we’re sorry for placing this burden on you,” Regis chimed in, and Nyx’s face reddened completely. “We have a meeting next week with the Council to discuss the ongoing plans for Prompto’s future, and hopefully you’ll be back to your regular routine after that.” Nyx nodded tensely. “But for now, enjoy a few rounds of cards and relax.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Nyx stuttered and Clarus laughed.

“You’ll be alright, kid. We don’t bite.” Nyx chuckled as he was dealt in. “You know how to play?” An easy smile crept across the kid’s face and a twinkle of mischief entered his eyes.

“Not at all. Will you show me?”

 

***

 

It was long after the tittering from the tent had gone silent that the adults chose to break up their get together.

“I refuse to believe that the youngest member of the army hustled me out of a hundred dollars.” Drautos said drily in the hallway on the way out.

“He said, ‘Will you show me?’ Classic,” Clarus said, grinning widely and trying to keep his booming laugh down. Regis clapped a hand on a blushing Nyx’s back.

“It’s good to see these guys taken down a few notches.” He said, grinning at him.

“Hey, you’re the one who went all in on the last round,” Cor accused, chuckling.

“I’ve always acknowledged that I’m a horrible bluff,” Regis said with a smile. “You three have some illusions of being some big pros,”

“It’s not an illusion if it’s true,” Clarus said, grinning lopsidedly.

“Clearly not as true as you think, Amicitia. A kid just robbed you blind,” Drautos deadpanned. “I’ve gotta be going. See you guys at the office,” He said, waving a hand in the air. The adults waved back, and Nyx awkwardly did a half wave, half salute.

“Well, let's check in on the kids and get everybody set up in a guest bedroom,” Clarus said, ushering the group toward the living room. When they peeped into the fort, they found Gladiolus starfished in the centre, with Noctis pressed against his right side for warmth. Ignis was on his side near the edge, and Prompto was sprawled over top of all three, doing his best cuttlefish impersonation and drooling on Ignis’ pyjama top. Ignis, still awake, peered blearily at Cor’s face in the entryway of the fort.

“Please,” he pleaded simply. Cor stepped away from the fort and shook with barely repressed laughter. Clarus had to leave the room. Once he was sure he wasn’t going to wake the rest of the kids up, he came back into the fort and gently tugged Prompto off of the rest of the kids. Prompto looked at him muzzily.

“Hey, kiddo. I’m gonna be in this room,” Cor brought him to the guest room he normally slept in at Clarus’ house. “If you need me.” Prompto nodded. “Do you wanna sleep in here or in the fort?”

“Fort,” Prompto yawned. Cor chuckled.

“Okay. Stop drooling on Ignis. He doesn’t like it.” Prompto nodded again and slithered down from Cor’s arms, toddling back to the fort. Nyx hovered, red-faced and still chuckling, in the hallway.

“This way, buddy,” Clarus pointed him in the direction of another guest room. “We’ve got literally dozens of beds to choose from.” Cor ducked into his room. The beer had his head pleasantly fuzzy, and the anxiety he usually felt as a band across his chest loosened minimally. Just enough that each breath didn’t feel like it was constricting his heart. He kicked his shoes off and laid down on top of the blankets, dropping off into a comfortable sleep.

 

***

 

A shrill scream broke the night. Cor was on his feet before he knew what was happening, running toward the sound. Clarus met him in the hallway, Nyx hot on his tail. Ignis tore out of the fort, shouting for his uncle Cor. Gladiolus burst through the top of the fort, knocking down all of the cushions, allowing easier access for the adults. Prompto’s head was in an absolutely terrified Noctis’ lap and he had his arms thrown around the Prince’s waist as he shook with sobs.

“Hey, hey, hey,” Cor said softly, disentangling Prompto from an also-sobbing Noctis. “What’s wrong, kiddo? What happened?”

“It appears he had a nightmare,” Ignis supplied in a small voice. His glasses were crooked on his face, and behind them sat wide green eyes.

“One hell of a nightmare,” Said Regis, who came from behind Cor to pick up Noctis.

“He said they were hurting him, Dad.” Noctis bawled into Regis’ robe. Prompto tried to take a shuddering breath.

“C’mon, Prom. Breathe with me. C’mon, in,” Cor took a deep breath, and he felt Prom’s tiny body struggle to inhale a breath on command. “Doin’ good. Out.” They stood like that, Prompto calming down as Gladiolus and Ignis worked stalwartly to fix the fort. Noctis was drinking a mug of warm milk on the counter with Regis leaning nearby. When Prompto was calm enough, he turned to look at Noctis.

“I’m sorry,” He said quietly, his hoarse voice carrying to the kitchen. Noctis frowned.

“Don’t be sorry. You scared me, is all. Want some milk?” He slid off the counter, much to Regis’ dismay, and brought Prompto his mug. They sat at the entrance to the fort and shared a mug before Clarus delivered three other mugs of warm with cinnamon.

“Thanks, Dad.” Gladiolus said, prompting a chorus of ‘Thank yous’.

“Are you gonna try to go back to bed in the fort, or do you wanna come with me?” Cor asked Prompto gently, as he muzzily drained his mug. Prompto looked uneasily at the rest of the boys.

“You can do whatever you want, Prompto,” Ignis insisted. “We won’t be mad if you go with Uncle Cor.”

“Dad?” Gladiolus asked, after a few moments of silence. “Will you tell us a story? From when you and Uncle Cor and Uncle Regis and Uncle Weskham and Uncle Cid went on a trip?” Clarus smiled at Regis and Cor as they pulled up some carpet. Nyx slunk back to his guest room, feeling as though he was intruding when Clarus lowered his voice and began to speak.

“Once upon a time, five brothers set off on an adventure…”

           

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is really close to me. As a child, I would have terrible panic attacks in public settings because I was absolutely horrified at the sheer amount of people nearby that I didn't know. One of my dad's Marine friends that I call 'Uncle' taught me this trick when I was having a particularly bad meltdown at a fair. It really helped small me to take a few steps to make myself feel safer and help stem the never-ending panic I seemed to deal with. 
> 
> Anyway, I used that experience for reference when writing this chapter!


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